The Moscow City Court sentenced the 63-year-old Norwegian, Frude Berg, to 14 years in a penal colony on espionage charges (Article 276 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).
“To recognize Berg as guilty and impose a punishment in the form of 14 years of imprisonment with serving of punishment in a colony of strict regime,” said judge Andrey Suvorov.
It was about this term that the prosecutor Milana Digaev petitioned. Note that the maximum punishment under the article "Spying" provides for 20 years in prison.
Berg himself does not plead guilty. Nevertheless, his lawyer Ilya Novikov said that the defense would not appeal against the sentence.
“For reasons of a pragmatic approach, Berg does not see the point of appeal, it only removes the moment when he can apply for pardon. We will not appeal this decision. Ten days later, as the court’s decision translates and Berg reads it, it will enter into force, ”the lawyer explained.
Earlier, Novikov expressed the hope that “professional foreign intelligence agents, like the FSB considers Berg, usually do not give too much, and the possibility of exchange for a Russian agent is always taken into account”.
- Norwegian citizen Frode Berg (right), accused of espionage, and attorney Ilya Novikov during the announcement of the sentence in the Moscow City Court.
- RIA News
- © Vladimir Astapkovich
The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Russia told RIA Novosti that they will continue to defend the rights of their subject.
“We took note of the verdict. The Norwegian authorities will continue to work to protect the interests of Frode Berg in the best possible way. We take a variety of measures to protect the interests of Frode Berg. The Norwegian authorities would like Frode Berg to return safely to Norway, ”said the deputy head of the press service of the Norwegian foreign affairs agency, Ana Haavardsdatter Lund.
Submarine data collection
The details of the court session were not disclosed, since the case was assigned a “top secret” signature and the hearings were held behind closed doors.
According to the investigation, the former border guard Frode Berg collected information about nuclear submarines in the Russian Navy and sent these data to the Norwegian intelligence service.
The detention of the Norwegian took place on December 5, 2017, while receiving secret information from a Russian working at a defense enterprise who was under the control of the FSB. The physical evidence in the case was € 15 thousand. The court turned them into state revenue.
Commenting on the investigation, lawyer Ilya Novikov stated that Frode Berg could be "used in the dark."
“According to the prosecution, Berg was fully aware of what he was doing, and he was eager to get the information that made up the state secret. According to the defense version, he could not have any intent; in fact, he was hidden from him in what situation he was used, in which he was involved. You cannot be a spy unintentionally, ”lawyer Ilya Novikov told reporters.
Earlier it was suggested that among the secret contacts of the Norwegian was a Russian - a district police officer Alexei Zhitnyuk. His court arrested on treason charges. It was reported that Zhitnyuk had connections with the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States and was detained by the FSB while transferring documents containing state secrets. It clarified that the papers contained information about the Russian Navy.
Blackmail and the possibility of pardon
In September 2018, Mikhail Bochkarev, an employee of the Federation Council staff, was detained in Norway. He was suspected of collecting data via wireless networks and signals in the Norwegian parliament building. Then the Russian Foreign Ministry said that all the accusations against the Russian citizen are made up, and Oslo is trying to blackmail Moscow for the sake of freeing Berg.
“Everything indicates that this staging with the arrest of Bochkarev and accusing him of espionage was organized by the Norwegian authorities as an act of blackmail to rescue the Norwegian filed Berg, who was caught in Russia, I would like to emphasize, red-handed, detained and under investigation”, - said then Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
But this Oslo plan could not be implemented. After four weeks of detention, the Russian was released, and he returned to his homeland. In April 2019, the lawyer Bochkareva Hege Okre said that the investigation against him was completed, no evidence of guilt was found.
“As I understand it, the case will be closed. The PST (Norwegian Police Security Service - RT ) did not find any evidence that he had committed something illegal, ”said Okre.
Thus, the only hope of release for Berg is pardon. In early April, journalists asked the President of Russia Vladimir Putin during his meeting with the Prime Minister of Norway, Erna Solberg, about the possibility of such an outcome of events. But at that time, the court had not yet reached a final verdict, so the head of state offered to wait.
“We have to wait for the court proceedings. As in any country, our court determines the punishment, responsibility and the very guilt or innocence of a person. Depending on the decision of the court, we will continue to look at what can be done with this, ”Putin said.