In 2011, Anders Breivik mercilessly murdered 69 young Norwegians on the holiday island of Utoya and another eight people in Oslo – but the mass murderer apparently sees himself as the biggest victim. He told his lawyer that he was at risk of committing suicide and called for his solitary confinement to be lifted: the right-wing extremist lives in a luxurious two-story cell with pets, his own gym and a spacious TV lounge.
Breivik, who has been going by the name Fjotolf Hansen for several years, would have a hard time in Ringerike prison, a few kilometers northwest of Oslo. But not because his conscience plagues him, because he has the lives of dozens of young people on his conscience. Prison conditions are having an impact on the 44-year-old, as his lawyer Oeystein Storrvik told the Oslo court before the hearing. He calls for an end to solitary confinement. The trial begins on Monday: it is the second time that Breivik has sued the state for human rights violations related to his detention.
Lawyer: ‘Breivik is dependent on antidepressants’
His client has been in prison for more than a decade “without any meaningful interaction” and is contemplating suicide. “He now relies on the antidepressant Prozac to get through his days in prison,” Storrvik said. The prolonged isolation would violate Breivik’s human rights.
Breivik inspired Christchurch’s attackers
But the right-wing terrorist is isolated for a reason. For security reasons, he is kept away from other prisoners and his contacts with the outside world are also limited. According to the Norwegian Ministry of Justice, there is a risk that he could inspire others to commit violent acts. A fear that does not come out of the blue, as a look at the past shows: right-wing extremist Christchurch attacker Brenton Tarrant followed Breivik when he killed more than fifty people and injured almost as many in 2019.
Despite being in solitary confinement, Breivik is in regular contact with guards, medical staff, a priest and, until recently, an external volunteer who visited him. However, Breivik no longer wants to see this, according to the Ministry of Justice. He is also allowed to have contact with two other prisoners for one hour every two weeks.
Breivik got pets
But that’s apparently not enough for the unscrupulous killer. That’s why he was even allowed to have pets in his spacious cell complex. Since then, three parakeets, two blue and one white, have kept the mass murderer company. In prison, Breivik has much more space than any other prisoner, the head of Ringerike prison, Eirik Bergstedt, told VG.
“For us it was important to offer people a particularly high level of security with an offer that was as close to normal as possible,” he explains. Breivik has its own kitchen, gym and TV lounge – spread over two floors. His kingdom also includes a large rural area.
If you or a person around you is in an exceptional psychological situation or suffers from suicidal thoughts, you can contact the pastoral telephone number 142. Other crisis hotlines and emergency numbers can be found HERE.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
