Gerard Spong

Spong was born in Paramaribo, Suriname. He is a cousin of film director Pim de la Parra.[1] In 1962, he moved to Oegstgeest in the Netherlands. From 1967 to 1973, he studied political science and law in Amsterdam. After graduating, he returned to Paramaribo, where he was sworn in as a lawyer. In 1976, he returned to Amsterdam. With Mischa Wladimiroff, he started the law firm Wladimiroff & Spong Advocaten. Meanwhile, he specialized in criminal law.

In 1978, Spong defended the interests of Knut Folkerts, Christof Wackernagel and Gert Schneider, three members of the Red Army Faction who were arrested in the Netherlands in 1977 and imprisoned in Maastricht. The three appealed against an extradition request from West Germany and wanted to be seen as a political refugee. Eventually, they were transferred to Germany in October 1978.[2]

In 1980, he defended a number of opponents of the then Surinamese dictator Desi Bouterse in Paramaribo, who had to appear before the ward council. Spong was suddenly arrested on a night by Bouterse's military in his room at the Torarica hotel and was brought to Fort Zeelandia (Bouterse's headquarters). Spong was questioned here by Bouterse and Roy Horb, and released again after eleven hours. He had to leave the country immediately.[3]