ECHR rejects Anders Breivik's appeal
June 21, 2018
The European Court of Human Rights on Thursday rejected an appeal by far-right extremist Anders Breivik, who had complained that his prison conditions were akin to "inhuman or degrading torture."
"Ultimately, the High Court found in an appeal case that there had been no violations of his rights," an ECHR press release stated. "The decision is final."
Breivik, who now goes by the name Fjotolf Hansen, was sentenced to 21 years' preventative detention in August 2012 for killing 77 people and wounding 42, mostly children, and setting off a car bomb outside the Oslo government headquarters in Norway in July 2011.
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No violations
Breivik's case against the Norwegian state argued that his jail conditions violated Article 3 and 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which relate to the prevention of torture and inhuman or degrading torture, and the right to privacy and family life.
It particularly focused on the fact that he is kept isolated from other prisoners at the jail.
Breivik took his case to the ECHR after the Supreme Court of Norway last year decided not to hear his appeal.
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In April 2016, the Oslo District Court ruled in favor of Breivik's complaint, but this was later overturned in a Norwegian appeals court ruling.
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The state responded at the time that he was held in isolation because he was considered extremely dangerous.
Breivik also had a three-cell living space, which included an exercise room with equipment, a DVD player, games console and typewriter, as well as books and newspapers.
law/kms (AP, AFP, Reuters)