In the second week of January, the gymnasium in Ringerike prison was turned into a courtroom. Anders Behring Breivik had sued the state for the prison conditions.
Breivik cried during his testimony, tears that psychiatrists don’t believe in.
The lawyers of the 22 July terrorist referred to several international judgments, and among other things used a mafia example in court.
Today came the verdict from the Oslo district court, acquitting the state.
“Breivik has good physical prison conditions and, relatively speaking, great freedom in everyday life. He can largely arrange his days as he wishes, within the framework provided by the prison. He studies and works on his political projects,” the judgment reads.
Anders Behring Breivik’s lawyer Øystein Storrvik in conversation with the state’s lawyer Andreas Hjetland during the trial.
Photo: Caroline Utti / NRK
Appeal the case further
– This shows that the correctional service does a thorough job that is professionally solid and legally correct, when they consider what conditions Breivik should have. There is every reason to pay tribute to the work being done in Ringerike prison, says lawyer Andreas Hjetland at the Government Attorney.
Breivik’s lawyer Øystein Storrvik says he had hoped for a different outcome.
– We had hoped for the opposite outcome, because we believe that the compensatory measures are not sufficient considering how long the isolation has lasted. The court has assessed that differently, says Breivik’s lawyer Øystein Storrvik.
– Are you disappointed?
– Yes, we had thought that after so many years that there would have been a reaction to the relationshipless existence, that we had reached an outer limit by now.
Breivik is appealing the verdict further to the Court of Appeal.
– In the first instance, we are concerned with writing an appeal that can enter the Court of Appeal, says Storrvik.
Not all appeals are taken up by the Court of Appeal, so whether there will be a new trial is not yet clear.
– This is an isolation that has lasted for so many years, and as the court also writes can last for the foreseeable future, so it is important to get a judicial review of this, believes Storrvik.
– No punitive damages
The court believes that no lasting damage has been demonstrated, and that arrangements have been made for a good health service.
Here are some of the other main points from the judgment:
- “There are also a number of services that offer opportunities for contact, which he uses to a relatively large extent today, including conversations with a priest, doctor, nurse and psychiatrist. Breivik also has the opportunity to receive visitors from outside.”
- “Breivik has collected relatively extensive human contact and, depending on the conditions, varied sensory experiences. However, there is very limited confidential contact with people on ‘equal footing’.”
- “There has been a clear development in sentencing conditions after treatment in the legal system in 2016/2017. The development of socializing with the employees has been significant, both in scope, but not least in form, with daily shared meals and what apparently bears the stamp of a ‘normal’ social community.”
– Too strict, too tight
Ahead of the trial, NTB’s photographer was allowed to take pictures of the cell area Breivik is in, under what is called SHS (special high security). Over two floors, he has access to, among other things, exercise equipment, a TV room and a kitchen. The actors in the court were also on inspection there.
Anders Behring Breivik has his own “department” in Ringerike prison over two floors. There is, among other things, a kitchen, a TV room and three budgies.
Photo: Ole Berg-Rusten / NTB
Anders Behring Breivik has his own “department” in Ringerike prison over two floors. There is, among other things, a kitchen, a TV room and three budgies.
Photo: Ole Berg-Rusten / NTB
Anders Behring Breivik has his own “department” in Ringerike prison over two floors. There is, among other things, a kitchen, a TV room and three budgies.
Photo: Ole Berg-Rusten / NTB
Anders Behring Breivik has his own “department” in Ringerike prison over two floors. There is, among other things, a kitchen, a TV room and three budgies.
Photo: Ole Berg-Rusten / NTB
Anders Behring Breivik has his own “department” in Ringerike prison over two floors. There is, among other things, a kitchen, a TV room and three budgies.
Photo: Ole Berg-Rusten / NTB
Anders Behring Breivik has his own “department” in Ringerike prison over two floors. There is, among other things, a kitchen, a TV room and three budgies.
Photo: Ole Berg-Rusten / NTB
Anders Behring Breivik has his own “department” in Ringerike prison over two floors. There is, among other things, a kitchen, a TV room and three budgies.
Photo: Ole Berg-Rusten / NTB
Breivik and his lawyers emphasized the following points during the five days in the provisional courtroom:
- They think there is too strict control over the letters he is allowed to send out.
- They believe it is unnecessary to have a grid when he has visitors.
- And then they want arrangements to be made for more contact with other inmates.
– It will be too strict. It will be too tight. And the consequences are missing relationships. There must be higher requirements for compensatory measures after such a long time, said lawyer Øystein Storrvik.
“The letter control is well-founded, and in terms of evidence it appears that the correspondence that is stopped is proportionate, and concerns mass mailings of political content and networking,” the judgment states.
– Breivik is the same
The state’s lawyers spent a lot of time emphasizing the serious background. Breivik killed 77 people in the government quarter and on Utøya on 22 July 2011. They believe he probably has the same mindset, and is thus still a dangerous man.
The strict sentencing conditions are about protecting both other inmates, the employees – and Breivik himself.
According to a recent PST report, the mass murderer still has a high status among right-wing extremists internationally. They believe that the smallest sign of life from Breivik can inspire others. That is why the letter control is so strict.
Breivik says he is no longer a militant, but the state’s lawyers presented prison logs they believe prove that the risk of violence is still high.
– There have been gradual adaptations and adjustments over the years. The conditions are better now than when he was sentenced in 2012, and better than in 2017, when the sentencing conditions were up last. Breivik, on the other hand, is the same, said lawyer Andreas Hjetland.
2024-02-15 17:15:11
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