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The case against the terrorist

Today the court case against the terrorist who killed 77 individuals July 22, 2011, came to its end. The terrorist was found guilty and sentenced to the strictest sentence in the Norwegian legal system.

He was sentenced to 21 years in custody, with a possibility to be released on parole after 10 years. This means that the terrorist can apply for a release on parole after 10 years, which is the safety for the convict. The safety for the society, is that after 21 years, it is possible to lengthen the remand in custody every fifth year. And this can continue until his death. The convicted can in this period apply for a release on parole every year. A common comment today, is that the terrorist will be put in prison the rest of his life, and that only extraordinary things will change that. My understanding is; that what a criminal has done, has much importance, not only how a criminal change after the crime.

Neither the prosecution nor the terrorist appealed against the sentence.

The court case was discussing whether the terrorist is sane, or not responsible for his acts. Many occupational groups were involved and had contradictory views. Also a philosophical view was talked over, where a human's responsibility for one's own acts, was gone thoroughly into. A human is responsible for one's own acts, as far as one understands what one is doing. That was the philosophical conclusion.

The Norwegian legal system is developed in the shadow of the history, where the judicial branch could have been very unfair, and used very hard punishments. It has been important to make safe the safety of the democracy of the people. The Norwegian society was able to develop a harmonious society after the democratic revolution in Europe throughout the 20th century. In the last years the society has become harder and less harmonious, which is a new situation in Norway. Today; someone want it more harmonious again, others want harder punishments, and the situation is discussed.

August 24, 2012, David H. Hegg