All Føsen activists freed – NRK Trøndelag – Local news, TV and radio

Loca sámegillii

18 campaigners had to appear in court in Oslo after refusing to pay fines they received following the Fossen actions.

They occupied the lobby of the Ministry of Oil and Energy (OED) for almost four days to bring the issue into focus.

All have now been acquitted at the Oslo District Court.

– Amazing! We've prepared for the worst, so it's great that we've all been released.

This is what Ella Marie Hedda Isaksen, who was at the center of the protests and one of the defendants, says.

The protests were sparked by the fact that the government is still operating a wind farm in the reindeer herding areas of Fossen. The Supreme Court ruled in 2021 that these facilities violated Sami's human rights.

It violated the right to peaceful protest

The defendants' defenders, lawyers Olaf Halvorsen Rönning and Anne-Marie Külichen, were satisfied that the majority of the court had recognized the defendants' right to peaceful protest.

The court held that the order to end the demonstration, the conduct of the demonstrators and the punitive action violated the respondent's right to participate in peaceful demonstrations under Article 101 of the Constitution. EMF Article 11.

– We think it is positive that the court is very clear about the importance of freedom of expression and freedom of demonstration, and what importance this has in holding state authorities accountable for human rights violations, Ronning says.

– In this respect, this judgment is a victory for democracy and the rule of law.

Hatta Isaksen says the release warms her heart.

– Especially when I think of my friends who did a great job. Hedda Isaksen says it is very reasonable for judges to agree that we should not be punished.

“Absolutely important” to the government's chagrin

The court specifically emphasized the fact that the demonstration was aimed at violating state human rights as established in the Supreme Court judgment.

Additionally, it concerns a question of particular importance to the Sami people.

They also stressed that the demonstration was “absolutely decisive” for the government to apologize for human rights abuses.

When Energy Minister Terje Åsland testified in court, he said the opposite. He believed that the government's apology came completely independent of the demonstrations.

– We started this work as soon as the Supreme Court gave its verdict, he said.

On Thursday 2nd March 2023 an apology was issued for the reindeer herding industry in Fossen. On this day, activists decided to end the demonstrations in Oslo.

– It is important to apologize directly to the reindeer herding industry, Ausland says, and I met them on Thursday, March 2.

– It has been a long time since the Supreme Court verdict. Why did you spend 500 days apologizing? Judge Kim Heger asked the court.

– It is normal to apologize on March 2. Then the reindeer herder Sami came to Oslo from Fossen, and it was only natural to do so in a meeting with them, replied Ausland.