Norwegian Man Faces Espionage Charges for China in Court Appearance

An Oslo court has ordered the detention of a Norwegian citizen accused of attempting to spy for China, Norway’s domestic security agency said on July 2—the latest in a string of communist regime-related espionage cases across Europe in recent months.

The individual, whose identity remains undisclosed, appeared in an Oslo court on July 2 and will be held for an initial four weeks, as confirmed by the Norwegian Security Police Service (PST).

Thomas Blom, a spokesperson for PST’s counter-espionage unit, stated that the case is still in its early stages, and further details will not be disclosed at this time.

The suspect, known only as a “well-known” person, was apprehended by PST on July 1 at Oslo’s Gardermoen Airport upon returning from a trip to China, according to officials.

Mr. Blom mentioned that the closed-door trial pertains to “attempted” espionage activities for China, with a focus on “data-carrying devices” as crucial evidence in the case.

If found guilty, the male Norwegian citizen could potentially face a maximum prison sentence of 10 years.

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The accused plans to plea not guilty, according to defense attorney Marius Dietrichson.

The Chinese embassy in Oslo stated in an emailed correspondence to The Epoch Times on July 3 that some European countries have been “fabricating and exaggerating” issues, without specifically addressing this case.

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