Wilkes/Gleditsch trial explained

The Wilkes/Gleditsch trial (Norwegian: Wilkes/Gleditsch-saken[1]) in 1982 in Norway, concerned publication of a report by two researchers of peace and conflict studies on electronic listening stations, based on information from open sources. Putting the information together to make a complete picture was deemed to reveal a secret, according to puslespill legal doctrine, cf the website of Norway's Cabinet in 2011.[2]

Electronic listening posts[3] in North-Norway, and their significance, was the secret that was revealed.[4] (The Wilkes/Gleditsch case has been confused[5] [6] with the "Loran C affair", which involved publication of the existence of a radiowave-transmitter used for navigation.[7])

Owen Wilkes and Nils Petter Gleditsch were convicted of breaching paragraphs 90 and 91 of Straffeloven, the Norwegian criminal code, pertaining to national security. They each received a suspended prison sentence, in addition to being fined and charged with court costs.

Names

The trial has various other names in Norwegian, including "Gleditsch-saken", "Gleditsch/Wilkes-saken", and "kaninsaken" (the rabbit trial).

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.regjeringen.no/mobil/nb/dep/jd/dok/nouer/1999/nou-1999-27/7/3.html?id=355155

    (From Website of Norway's Cabinet) "Det er anerkjent at hensynet til ytringsfriheten kan gjøre overtredelse av § 90 rettmessig, jf. Høyesteretts drøftelse av dette i listesaken, Sjue-saken og Wilkes/Gleditsch-saken." — From NOU 1999: 27, "6.3.2.3.1 Den ytre sikkerhet".

  2. From website belonging to Minister of Justice and the Police (Norway) : Straffelovkommisjonens delutredning VIII (NOU 2003:18 Rikets sikkerhet)
  3. [Straffelovkommisjonen]
  4. page 183 by Inger Marie Sunde http://www.jus.uio.no/ifp/om/organisasjon/seri/forskningsomrader/publikasjoner/yulex/Yulex_2007.pdf
  5. side 183 av Inger Marie Sunde i år 2007 http://www.jus.uio.no/ifp/om/organisasjon/seri/forskningsomrader/publikasjoner/yulex/Yulex_2007.pdf
  6. Bokanmeldelse i 2009 av Aage Borchgrevink http://www.aftenposten.no/kul_und/litteratur/article3175421.ece
  7. Web site: Mot den evige fredsforskning - Kultur - Litteratur - Aftenposten.no . www.aftenposten.no . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090720231921/http://www.aftenposten.no/kul_und/litteratur/article3175421.ece . 2009-07-20.