The Abtah case

4.4 m for five years in prison

By Håkon Letvik

For the first time in Norwegian legal history, the children of an innocently convicted person have been awarded compensation in the amount of between NOK 150,000 and 300,000 each.

Majed El Abtah and his family have been awarded NOK 4.4 m compensatory damages and redress by Borgarting Court of Appeal after Abtah, who is the father of four children, in 1992 was wrongly sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment for complicity in a heroin case. Abtah’s defence counsel, Mr Svein Duesund, demanded a total of NOK 14 m compensation and redress, but the public prosecutor, Mr Kristian Nicolaisen, was of the opinion that 1.2 million was enough.

Majed El Abtah endured five years in prison before he, after a second try, managed to get his case reopened and was acquitted. He had been charged of assisting in smuggling 1.7 kilos of heroin into Norway. Thanks to his defence counsel, Mr Svein Duesund, who worked persistently for years without compensation in order to clear his client's name of suspicion.