Two people lost their lives and over 20 were injured when Zaniar Matapour opened fire on two nightclubs during the Pride festival in 2022. On Thursday afternoon, the Oslo district court will deliver a verdict in the terror case – and it could become historic. Prosecutors are asking for Zaniar Matapour to be jailed for 30 years. – In that case, it will be the first time that someone has been sentenced to such a severe punishment in Norway, says Rune Bård Hansen, who is a panel judge at the Agder Court of Appeal. Team judge, Rune Bård Hansen, says that it is the first time that someone can receive a harsher sentence than 21 years in prison. Photo: Vidar Ruud / NTB Serious terror targeting queers It was a warm June night that the mass shooting took place at the pubs Per på Hjørnet and London Pub in central Oslo. There were about 500 people in the surrounding area and Matapour brought magazines with about 100 rounds to the scene. During the trial this spring, the prosecution believed that the attack was serious terror and aimed at queers. PROSECUTOR: Aud Kinsarvik Gravås and Sturla Henriksbø. Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB The prosecution also claimed that more lives could have been lost, if the machine gun had not gone off, and Matapour was overpowered by civilians. 312 people have the status of offended in the case. Questions about sanity The maximum sentence in Norway has been 21 years’ imprisonment since 1981, when life imprisonment was formally abolished. This was the status until the new criminal law came into force in 2015. It states, among other things, that a serious terrorist act can be sentenced to 30 years in prison. Although the penalty has been extended, the proof requirement remains the same. – The proof requirement is, as before, that every reasonable doubt should benefit the defendant, says Hansen and adds: – The proof requirement is strict, but in this case there is no doubt that it is the defendant who fired these shots. Hansen therefore assumes that the question of saneness will weigh more heavily. The experts disagree on whether the terrorist accused was sane. The prosecution believed during the trial this spring that Matapour was sane, while the defense has asked for an acquittal and believes Matapour was insane. The trial against the man accused of terrorism took place from 12 March to 16 May this year. Photo: Lise Aaserud / NTB Of course the Supreme Court makes its decision Hansen does not want to comment on the outcome of the verdict, but believes the case may go to the Supreme Court. – It is terribly serious, but one can easily imagine terrorist attacks which are far more serious than that, and which have much greater consequences in terms of the number of lives lost. Hansen cites 22 July as an example. Anders Behring Breivik received the harshest sentence possible for the bomb attack on the government quarter and the mass murder on Utøya – 21 years. – If it had been possible to go to 30 years this time, then the sentence could have quickly become 30 years. According to Hansen, how high the punishment should be for an act of terrorism is an interesting and important question. And now that the penalty has been extended, it may be natural for the Supreme Court to issue a statement in the case, he adds. – If you use the law’s strictest penalty framework here, then you have shown where the ceiling should be. Then you might feel a little discouraged if a new and even more serious case comes up. Published 03/07/2024, at 22.14
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Terror accused Zaniar Matapour may get 30 years in prison – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
