Will Breivik be released? The court will consider the application again

The attacks that changed Norway

On July 22, 2011, Anders Breivik caused an explosion in the government district of Oslo, killing eight people. He then went to the island of Utoya, where as many as 69 people died at his hands during a summer camp of the Labor Party's youth wing. The total number of deaths was 77 and over 300 injured - these events shocked not only Norway, but also the whole world.

In 2012, a court sentenced Breivik to a maximum of 21 years of forvaring - a special Norwegian prison sentence with a minimum term of 10 years. After its expiry, the prisoner may apply for early release, but he must prove that he is no longer a threat.

More conclusions, more expert opinions

Breivik submitted his first application for parole in 2020 and his second application three years later. Both were rejected after analyzing the opinions of psychologists. Currently, after the third request, the court allowed a re-examination of his mental state by the same experts who had previously indicated a high risk of repetition of violence. The process regarding this application will start at the beginning of 2027 at the earliest.

Breivik himself has repeatedly sued Norway, accusing it of inhumane treatment, isolation and limited contacts with the outside world. However, he lost both in Norwegian courts and before the European Court of Human Rights.

Maximum sentence, but not necessarily release

In 2032, Breivik's 21-year sentence will expire. However, the matter does not end there. The forvaring sentence he received provides that after serving the basic period of the sentence, it may be further extended every five years if the court finds that the convicted person continues to pose a serious threat to society.

For Breivik to remain in isolation, the prosecutor will have to convince the court of the real threat, explains Kristian Mjaaland, vice-rector of the Norwegian Prison Service School KRUS. However, even the existence of such a possibility does not mean that the dismissal will actually take place. The expert emphasizes that given the current knowledge about Breivik's attitude, his release is very unlikely.

Possible sentence extensions – the Norwegian system under the microscope

Norway has not used the death penalty since 1905. Today, the maximum penalty is a maximum of 30 years forfeiture, although the regulations were tightened only after Breivik's attacks - they no longer affected him. Before the dramatic events of 15 years ago, Norwegians were not prepared for such a crime.