Last week, four Russians were released from custody. Today, two more were released. This time it is about a Russian man and a woman in their 30s. They were arrested on Saturday in Bjerkvik in Nordland and charged with illegal photography. According to the ruling from the court, the couple must have taken one picture from a speeding car near the so-called Nato quay in Bjerkvik. – The photograph was taken from such a long distance that it cannot be said to provide more information than images that are publicly available on Google Street View on Google Maps, states the ruling from the Salten and Lofoten district court. The district court concluded that both of the arrested Russians had to be released. The police initially announced that they would appeal the decision, but they have not done so. Thus the two were released. This is confirmed by the defense attorney for the Russian woman, Charlotte Marie Ringkjøb, to news. Lawyer Charlotte Marie Ringkjøb defended the woman. Photo: Bente H. Johansen / news She has not been allowed to speak to her client after his release. – Everyone in Norway is aware that there is an increased level of security. We have to put up with that. But in this case I am happy that the court concluded that we must stick to the current principles that apply in all cases of custody, she says. The Russians are two of a total of 11 people who have been arrested for photography recently. These are the “Russian cases” Up to now, a total of 11 people have been arrested in six different arrests in connection with photography. Swipe to get an overview ?Arrested with two drones11. In October, a 50-year-old Russian man was arrested at Storskog. The man was stopped on his way out of Norway in connection with a routine check. Customs and the police discovered drones in his luggage. During questioning, it emerged that the man has stayed and traveled through Norway since August. The police found 4 terabytes of film and images from the trip, where parts of the image material were encrypted. The man admitted to having been in Norway on a trip, but only as a normal photo-interested tourist. Item jailed for two weeks. Four Russians arrested in Mosjøen11. In October, three men and a woman from Russia were arrested in Mosjøen. The police had previously been tipped off that the Russians took pictures of the Coast Guard base in Sortland. In the car, the police found photographic equipment and extensive photographic material. The four claimed that they were taking pictures of the northern lights. After a week in custody, the four were released, but the charge of illegal photography has not been dropped. The case is now with PST. Flew a drone over Tromsø Airport14. In October, a 51-year-old Russian man was arrested after observations of photography at Tromsø Airport. The man must have passed Storskog and was on his way to Svalbard. The police seized a large quantity of photographic equipment, including a drone and a number of memory cards. – The accused has admitted to having flown a drone in Norway. We will continue with questioning and review of the seizure. Of the seizure that we have reviewed, we have seen, among other things, pictures from the airport in Kirkenes and pictures of the defense’s Bell helicopter. The police’s security service is involved in the case, said police attorney Jacob Bergh. Article jailed for two weeks. Jakunin flew a drone over Svalbard17. On 1 October, the Russian citizen and businessman Andrej Jakunin was arrested in Hammerfest. Jakunin is said to have flown a drone over Norwegian territory in Svalbard. He was arrested by the police in a sailboat – and on Facebook the boat has its own page where, among other things, photos from Van Mijenfjorden, Nordenskiöld Land national park are posted. To VG, the 47-year-old’s press team stated that he is passionate about nature, photography and extreme sports. The case has been transferred to PST. Took picture from car at speed22. On 1 October, two Russians, a woman and a man in their 30s, were arrested in Bjerkvik in Narvik municipality. The two were charged with illegal photography and in the ruling it was found that the couple had taken a picture from a speeding car. The police are said to have found no other photos. The police wanted to detain the Russians for two weeks in complete isolation, but were not heard in the district court. It was concluded that the two must be released. The case has been appealed to the Hålogaland Court of Appeal, and the Russians will be held by the police until the appeal has been processed by the court.Fløy drone in Hardanger20. In October, a Russian man was arrested after flying a drone in Hardanger. He was arrested in Ullensvang. The case was heard in Hordaland district court. The police wanted the man to remain in custody for four weeks, but the court rejected the demand. The court held that there was no evidence that the man had taken a picture of anything other than nature. The police appealed on the spot and the case will go up to the Court of Appeal. Suspected Russian spy arrested in Tromso the intelligence services. PST believes he is a so-called “illegal”, someone who builds up an identity as an ordinary citizen, while he quietly works for Russian intelligence. Among other things, he researched hybrid warfare. It is the first time that PST has arrested someone they believe to be an “illegal” in Norway. The man was produced for imprisonment in Nord-Troms and Senja district court in Tromsø on 25 October. – Is being Russian a reason for suspicion? 10 of the 11 people are Russian. Last week, three men and a woman were arrested in Mosjøen and remanded in custody. Lawyer Christian Wulff Hansen represents the woman who was detained. He says the woman has said she was only on holiday in Norway. – Repeatedly she has asked me; have (the police) gone through the pictures? Have they gone through the pictures? She knew they were going to be released once it was reviewed. Lawyer Christian Wulff Hansen says her client was affected by the imprisonment. Photo: Advokatfirmaet Wulff All four Russians were released after a week in custody, and the police stated that the hypothesis that the four were tourists had been strengthened. Wullf points out that Norway must be careful not to start suspecting all Russians. – Is being Russian in Norway grounds for suspicion? Staying near a military installation, is that a good reason? We must not get into a situation where all Russians are suspects. – Vague suspicions The Russian embassy is reacting to the arrest of a number of Russians. They point out that the arrest in Narvik now emphasizes that this is starting to look like a hunt. – This case testifies that a real hunt for Russian citizens is developing, which is carried out with a kind of obsession, the embassy writes in an e-mail to news. The Russian Embassy reacts to the arrests. Photo: Cicilie S. Andersen – As in the previous cases, the only basis is the actual belonging to Russian citizenship. Total suspicion is whipped up around Russians. They further write that it is vague suspicions that lead to disproportionate arrests. – It is significant that the district court thought this punishment was excessive as a detailed image of the facility, which the police clung to, is publicly available on Google Maps. Rejects “Russian instructions” Many Russians are arrested and released again. The Norwegian Police Directorate, however, denies that the police have received a separate instruction that targets Russians specifically. – Has the Norwegian Police Directorate issued a new instruction to the police that specifically targets Russians staying in the country? – No. That’s what Roar Hanssen in the police directorate tells news. Editor of The Independent Barents Observer, Thomas Nilsen, believes it is not unusual for Russians to holiday in northern Norway. Thomas Nilsen, editor in The Independent Barents Observer. Photo: Kristina Kalinina / news – I think there are still a good number of Russian tourists who are sincere tourists, who are interested in photography or on a fishing trip in Northern Norway, as we have seen many times in the last 10-20 years. Nevertheless, he believes the police have reason to be aware, given the tense situation in Europe. – There is reason to assume that there are people who are concerned with mapping critical infrastructure, as well as doing what Russia is best at: creating uncertainty, unrest and intimidation among the population and the Norwegian authorities, he says. Affects innocent people Defender Arne Johansen, who represents one of the four arrested in Mosjøen, says this affects innocent people – It is unfortunate political interference. They refer to the arrests and say that it is a consequence of the changed risk picture in Norway. Then you stand four days later and see that there is no evidence whatsoever to link criminal legal reactions against these four Russians, he says to news. He adds: – The consequence of setting off with too fine a net is that you hit a bunch of innocent people who happen to be in Norway and take a picture of the northern lights. Arne O. Holm, Norwegian journalist and editor for High North News, says the arrests are not necessarily a sign of increased crime. – Primarily a sign that Norway has raised the security level and takes better care of its installations, which is a direct consequence of the war that Russia has waged against Ukraine. Arne O. Holm, editor of High North News. – Do you think that the Norwegian authorities are too quick to arrest Russians with photographic equipment? – No, I think they have a difficult balancing act. They have been told that the alert has been raised, and they want to protect their installations, because we are in the middle of a hybrid war. Then the police probably do what the police are supposed to do, and then it turns out that if we follow the releases that have come in the wake of the arrests, that Russians can still be tourists in Norway.
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