A court in Oslo convicted a 28-year-old Norwegian man on Wednesday for spying on behalf of Russia and Iran. The court sentenced him to three years and seven months in prison for espionage.
Prosecutors said the man gave Russian and Iranian agents details about US Embassy diplomats, building floor plans, and security routines, according to Norwegian broadcaster NRK. They said he also shared other sensitive information about embassy operations.
The man had admitted to the facts listed in the indictment but denied committing a crime. Investigators said he reached out to Russian and Iranian officials after becoming frustrated with US support for Israel and the war in Gaza.
Defence Questions Definition of Espionage
The man’s defence team said the verdict raises legal concerns about how espionage is defined under Norwegian law.
“He lied about holding security clearance and exaggerated his role,” said attorney Inger Zadig of Elden Law Firm.
Zadig claimed her client had “the same level of access as a janitor” and that the shared information “held no value or risk to any state.”
The court found the defendant guilty on five espionage-related charges but cleared him of gross corruption.
Defence attorneys are considering appealing the conviction, while prosecutor Carl Fredrik Fari said his office may appeal the sentence, noting that the state had requested more than six years in prison.
Espionage Cases Stir Tension Along Russian Border
Police arrested the man last November while he studied security and preparedness at Norway’s Arctic University (UiT). This marks the second espionage case linked to UiT in recent years, according to NRK.
In 2022, Norwegian authorities detained a UiT guest researcher who claimed to be a Brazilian named José Assis Giammaria. Investigators later identified him as Mikhail Valeryevich Mikushin, a Russian intelligence officer. He was later released as part of a Western prisoner exchange with Moscow.
Norway shares a 198-kilometre Arctic border with Russia. Since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Oslo has tightened border controls and restricted Russian entry.
The Norwegian government said last year it may build a fence along parts of its northern border to prevent espionage and protect national security.
