A 28-year-old Norwegian man was convicted of spying for Russia and Iran, according to a ruling from an Oslo court on Wednesday. Judges found that the former U.S. Embassy security guard leaked sensitive information to foreign agents.
Prosecutors said he shared floor plans, security routines, and details about diplomats working at the embassy, as reported by Norwegian state broadcaster NRK. The court sentenced him to three years and seven months in prison.
The man admitted to the indictment’s facts but denied committing any crime. NRK reported that U.S. ties to Israel and the war in Gaza motivated him to reach out to Russia and Iran.
Defence Lawyers Question Definition of Espionage
The man’s defence team released a statement on Thursday, saying the case raises concerns about how espionage is defined under Norwegian law.
“He lied about having security clearance and exaggerated his position,” attorney Inger Zadig of Elden Law Firm said.
“He had about the same access level as a janitor. The information he shared was worthless and could not harm any state or individual.”
The Oslo District Court found him guilty on five espionage-related counts but cleared him of gross corruption.
Defence lawyers are considering an appeal, arguing the punishment is disproportionate. Prosecutor Carl Fredrik Fari said his team may also appeal the sentence, since the state had sought more than six years in prison.
At the time of his arrest in November, the man was studying security and preparedness at UiT – The Arctic University of Norway.
Espionage Concerns Rise Along Norway’s Russian Border
This marks the second espionage case linked to UiT in recent years, according to NRK. One of the individuals swapped in last year’s Russia-West prisoner exchange was a UiT guest researcher who used the false identity José Assis Giammaria. Investigators later identified him as Mikhail Valeryevich Mikushin, a Russian national accused of spying.
Norway shares a 198-kilometre border with Russia in the Arctic. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Norway has tightened entry restrictions for Russian citizens.
Last year, the Norwegian government said it was considering building a border fence to further limit Russian access and strengthen national security.
