Anders Breivik, a Norwegian terrorist who killed 77 people in Oslo with bomb and cold-blooded shooting, is sentenced with 21 years in prison. In that calculation, this means he received only under 100 days per life he has taken. The decision resulted furious reception from Americans, but it seems Norwegian are happy with the decision of the light sentence. Anders Breivik will serve his years in prison in a cell containing three rooms in total, completed with TV, exercise room, and another room that is fully furnished.
Norway is quite different than the U.S from the criminal justice point of view. In Norway, the maximum sentence should be no more than 21 years in prison if the crime is not as severe as war crimes and genocide. The terrorist, who has served 10 years in prison from the total of 21 years, is still believed as a very dangerous man. However, the extension of prison time might be extended indefinitely if the person is still suggested as a threat for society.
The chronology of the massacre
The disaster started on July 22, 2011 when a bomb was detonated by Anders Breivik in front of Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg’s office in Oslo. This is resulting eight innocent lives taken and hundreds people were injured. At 5:18 PM local time, he arrives in Utoya Island where Norwegian Labour Party’s youth group were gathered during summer camp program. Wearing police uniform, Anders Breivik unforgivingly shooting people around, causing 69 people losing their lives. The local police heard the shooting and Breivik called Norwegian emergency number, admitting to surrender to the police, but then he continued his action. After more than an hour of the shooting, SWAT team came and forced Breivik to stop his action and arrested him. Explanation from his side was surprising as he stated that it was an act of self-defense against Muslim’s invasion of Europe.
On July 25, approximately 200,000 people came to a rose march in Oslo in remembrance of the victims. This tragedy is considered as one of the worst act of crime that happened in the country since World War 2 as stated by the Prime Minister during the conference. Norway’s National Police commissioner, Oeystein Maeland, apologized to the whole country from the tragedy, claiming that the police reacted slowly during the massacre. He also said that many lives could have been saved if the terrorist was captured earlier.
Anders Breivik was proven sane during his massacre act after previously being claimed as paranoid schizophrenic by the psychiatric examination. On April 16, criminal trial begins for Breivik. He confirmed that the intention behind bombing and shooting was necessary to be done. Prosecutors found Anders Breivik to be insane for denying the criminal responsibility. The report was released on August 13, stating that the police could have come sooner to prevent the lives of the victims taken out. Not long after the report was published, Maeland decided to resign from the position. Finally on August 24, Breivik was found guilty and performed the massacre sanely which led him to 21 years in prison with the possibility of extension for indefinite period if he is still posing dangers to society.
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