On this day, 6th September in 2019, marks 5 years of a dark page in Bonaire’s history as Mr. James Finies, Founder of the Bonaire Human Rights Organization Foundation and the Movement for Change, and a recognized human rights defender in Bonaire, was unlawfully arrested by the authorities of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. At the time of his arrest, Mr. Finies was peacefully distributing free copies of the newspaper Nos Bèrdat (“Our Truth”), together with two other members of the Bonaire Human Rights Organization, including its President.
Importantly, Mr. Finies was in possession of written authorization from the Governor of Bonaire permitting this activity. The arrest therefore constituted an arbitrary detention, in clear violation of both national and international legal standards, including:
Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), guaranteeing freedom from arbitrary arrest and detention;
Article 19 of the ICCPR, guaranteeing the right to freedom of expression;
Article 21 of the ICCPR, guaranteeing the right to peaceful assembly.
This incident reflects a pattern of state interference with Mr. Finies’ peaceful activism. Notably, during 2014–2015, Mr. Finies staged a historic 222-day non-stop protest advocating for a referendum on Bonaire’s constitutional status. During this period, he sat peacefully on a wooden bench with protest boards, facing threats and assassination attempts. At one point, the Governor issued an order for his removal within 48 hours. In response, over hundreds of citizens peacefully mobilized, demonstrating outside the Governor’s office in support of Mr. Finies. Following this public demonstration, the Governor withdrew the removal order. The subsequent referendum, that was granted to stop Finies from protesting and go home, resulted in 66 percent of voters rejecting the current constitutional status imposed on Bonaire and the result was ratified by the Government as a legal democratic decision of the people of Bonaire.
The unlawful arrest on 6 September 2019, therefore, is part of a broader context of efforts to intimidate and suppress legitimate human rights advocacy in Bonaire. It constitutes not only a violation of Mr. Finies’ fundamental rights but also an infringement on the democratic freedoms of the Bonairean people he represents.
Bonaire Human Rights Organization
