Norwegian Justice Department blocks Breivik interview with BBC
The Norwegian newspaper, Verdens Gang (VG), writes that the journalist wishing to interview Anders Behring Breivik has been denied access to Ila Prison.
Acting prison director, Gøran Nilsson, recently told journalisten.no that Ila Prison was awaiting clearance from the Justice Department before the prison would give the journalist in question acccess to interview Breivik. According to Nilsson, if the Justice Department were to clear the journalist, the interview would, nevertheless, be conducted through a glass wall with prison guards present.
Police lawyer, Pål-Fredrik Hjort Kraby, now says to VG that there are “problematic conditions” surrounding the journalist. Hjort Kraby refuses to be specific about what is meant by “problematic conditions.”
Hjort Kraby confirms to VG that the journalist in question is from a foreign television station that Norwegian media recently reported was in the process of arranging an interview with Breivik. Norway’s TV2 writes that, according to several of their sources, the media company that Breivik had entered into agreement with was the renowned British broadcaster, the BBC.
According to the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK), the BBC is producing a documentary about the 7/22 attacks. Producer, Anne Leer, and photographer, Edward Watts, have been in Norway for three weeks talking to victims of the attacks, and will continue to record material for the program into mid-February. In addition, the BBC has applied for accreditation for the trial.
Breivik’s lawyer, Geir Lippestad, said to Fædrelandsvennen that what is important to note is that it is not the television station that has been denied access, but only a specific journalist. He also said that since Breivik has no preferences for a particular journalist, he assumes that Breivik has not changed opinion regarding which channel he wishes to be interviewd by. Speaking to NRK after having met with Breivik, Lippestad confirms that what is important to Breivik is which media company conducts the interview, and that Breivik simply wishes that the TV channel submit a new request from another journalist.
The Justice Department was, itself, a victim of the 7/22 attacks. Four Justice Department staff members were killed, three in the governmental offices and one attending the Labor Youth Organization (AUF) camp at Utøya.
Former Justice Minister, Knut Storberget (Labor), was controversial due to his attempts to ban blasphemy and introduce hijab into the Norwegian police force. A phone threat was reportedly made to the Justice Department in March 2011, and the Justice Department offices were completely destroyed by the large explosion on 7/22. Knut Storberget stepped down in November 2011 following death threats from a group called The Organization for a Free Norway (Organisasjonen Fritt Norge).
Google translation:
Refusing a journalist to interview Breivik
02/02/12
This week it was announced that Breivik will be interviewed by a foreign TV station. Now it is decided that the journalist does not escape into the prison….
Head of the Department of Justice, Gunnar Johansen, confirmed to AP that they have obtained information from abroad, and sent it to the prison. He would, however, refused to comment on what they found.
Original article: Nekter journalist å intervjue Breivik
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Google translation:
Journalist awaits Breivik-clearance
02/02/12
Acting jail director Goran Nilsson says that they are awaiting clearance by a journalist before the person can get into the visiting room with Breivik. He does not want to tell the editor that the journalist represents, first because the person has not yet been cleared and it is therefore not secure the interview will take place.
Prison management has sent the request for further clearance to the Department of Justice.
Glass invariable
If it comes to a consensus will be interviewed on the visiting room through a glass plate and two security guards present, as it is when defenders are visiting at Ila.
- It is mandatory and absolute as the situation is around the prisoner’s safety, but there may be changes on this later, says Nilsson.
Original article: Journalist venter på Breivik-klarering
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Google translation:
Refusing a journalist to interview Breivik
02/02/2012
“Problematic circumstances” that a person does not escape into the prison.
“The prison carries out control of all visitors to Breivik, including journalists. In connection with the assessment has found conditions that are problematic about the person,” said police attorney Paal-Fredrik Hjort Kraby to the AP.
Police Attorney Kraby will not elaborate on what is “problematic relationship”….
Original article: Nekter journalist å intervjue Breivik
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Google translation:
Ila stop Breivik interview with TV reporter
03.02.2012
Report does not meet Anders Breivik Behring at Ila Prison.
According to several sources such as TV 2 has talked with Anders Breivik Behring agreed to be interviewed by the BBC. But now Ila prison put an end to the interview. The current BBC reporter that the agreement was signed with, you will not be allowed to visit Breivik in prison….
Original article: Ila stopper Breivik-intervju med TV-reporter
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Google translation:
Discuss the appeal, interview and interrogation denial of Breivik
03.feb.2012
Defense Geir Lippestad Friday will discuss with Anders Breivik Behring whether he will be interviewed by someone other than the journalist, the police have refused to meet him….
Also the question whether he will be interviewed by someone else after the authorities on Thursday refused to accept a female reporter from a foreign channel, will be discussed.
“What is important is that it is not the channel that he wanted to speak to, which is banned, only that particular journalist. Breivik have no preferences to specific journalists, so I do not anticipate that he has changed the perception of the channel he wants to be interviewed,” says Lippestad….
Original article: Drøfter anke, intervju og avhørsnekt med Breivik
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Google translation:
Breivik says yes to photography in court
02/03/12
The defender confirmed earlier this week that the terror suspect has agreed to an interview with foreign media, but Thursday it became known that the journalist who asked about the interview is not security cleared the prison, the Justice Ministry.
“We briefed him that the journalist was not security cleared. For him it does not play any role. He is only concerned with the medium, and would thus only that they send a new request from another journalist,” says Lippestad.
Original article: Breivik sier ja til fotografering i retten
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Related article: Journalist awaits Breivik-clearance (Journalist venter på Breivik-klarering)
Related article: BBC: “One of the most difficult we have done” (BBC: – Noko av det vanskelegaste vi har gjort)
Related post: Ila Prison preparing for Breivik TV interview, three 7/22 documentaries in the making
