Lippestad: Law changes for Breivik would be a democratic problem and a threat to justice
TV2 has gained access to a confidential hearing note that reveals that the Labor coalition government is trying to rush through law changes to the psychiatric healthcare law (psykisk helsevernloven) that seem tailor suited for Anders Behring Breivik and that would make it legal for Norwegian authorities to construct a prison-like psychiatric hospital for a single person. According to the document, the government has issued a much shorter deadline for the hearing on the law proposal than normal.
According to TV2, in addition to what has been previously reported, the proposed law changes would make it possible for the authorities to hold a patient in a high-security mental hospital for as long as the police considered there to be “particularly high risk for attacks against the patient.” No specific threat would need to be present; it would be sufficient that the police be of the opinion that the patient was at risk. The new regulations would, therefore, in reality give Norwegian authorities the power to place an individual, for example a political prisoner, in solitary confinement for life without this being specifically sanctioned by a court.
“What one in reality is doing here is to introduce life-imprisonment in Norway,” Anders Behring Breivik’s lawyer Geir Lippestad told TV2. Lippestad says that, in his opinion, the proposed law changes appear to have been tailor suited for a single person (Breivik), and that the proposed law changes should be thoroughly discussed.
“I question how this [the law proposal] has been evaluated, and that one is using hearing deadlines that are much shorter than is normal,” Lippestad explains. “If these rules are proposed on the background of this case, and with a wish to punish this person [Breivik] in particular, then it is both a democratic problem and a threat to justice,” Lippestad said.
The Labor coalition government appears increasingly desperate to silence Breivik, who has explained that he represents the Norwegian resistance movement. Before the current law proposal was made, Dagbladet reported that the Justice Department was considering law changes that would make it illegal for Breivik to publish his book. The Justice Department also denied a BBC journalist access to Ila Prison to interview Breivik. In addition, the Attorney General has expressed a desire to introduce greater press restrictions.
Google translation:
How to keep Breivik locked up for life
21.03.2012
The government hastily introduces a new law that will keep Anders Behring Breivik locked up for life. It is in the interests of his own safety.
When TV 2 met the Minister of Justice Grete Faremo some time ago, she was clear about what the government had to do as she asked herself the question:
“How can we be certain that we do not meet the offender again?”
The answer to that is now available as a consultation document from the Health – and care ministry, which TV 2 has access to.
This paper is a proposal for ending the law on mental health care, and describes a high-security treatment institution with communication control, wiretapping, strip searches, detector scanning of all that goes in and out, glass wall between Breivik and visitors….
[Psychiatrist Thor Kvakkestad] believes the government by introducing the law in this way violates the duty to report, and defendant case to the Parliamentary Ombudsman.
“This is so make serious changes to current legislation, to be able to detention sick people on the basis that the police have a feeling that the person is exposed to a threat from the public,” he said to TV 2
“These are changes that require an open debate in society, the consequences of it and whether it is something we should implement in Norway must be studied thoroughly,” he adds….
Original article: Slik skal Breivik holdes innesperret resten av livet
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Google translation:
Thinks the government sneak introduce life imprisonment
22.03.2012
Anders Behring Breivik defender Geir Lippestad believe the government is trying to impose life imprisonment in Norway.
TV 2 could reveal Wednesday that the government hastily introduced a new law that will keep Anders Breivik Behring locked up for life.
Now responds Breivik defender, Geir Lippestad.
“What we do here in practice, is to impose a sentence of life imprisonment in Norway,” says Breivik defender, Geir Lippestad, to TV 2….
He said the situation must be discussed thoroughly before rules are adopted.
“I really question how this is assessed, and that you are also using the consultation deadlines are much shorter than normal,” says Lippestad….
Original article: Mener regjeringen snikinnfører livstidsstraff
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Related post: Justice Department considers law change that will make Breivik book illegal
Related post: Norwegian Justice Department blocks Breivik interview with BBC
Related post: Norway’s Attorney General expresses desire to introduce greater press restrictions
