A foreign national man has denied charges of raping a Norwegian woman while they worked on a Norwegian-owned ship docked in China. The incident occurred late last fall aboard the vessel owned by a Norwegian shipping company.
According to a recent detention order from Gulating Court of Appeal in Bergen, authorities initially presented the accused for detention on November 29. Police arrested him on November 27 in the Netherlands and subsequently extradited him to Norway. Two days after his arrival, he faced a custody hearing at Hordaland District Court in Bergen, where the court ordered his detention for four weeks. Just before the New Year, the court extended his detention for an additional four weeks.
The woman’s claims suggest that she was either unconscious or unable to resist during the alleged assault. The accused also faces charges of attempted rape, with reports indicating that there are two separate incidents under investigation.
The accused maintains that he and the woman had a consensual sexual relationship over time, insisting that the encounter was voluntary. His defense attorney, Einar Råen, spoke to the media, stating, “My client denies the charges. Beyond that, I cannot comment on the case.”
Why does the case take place in Norway
Despite being a foreign national and the events occurring outside Norway, the jurisdiction for this case remains in Norway. Gulating Court of Appeal emphasized that the case falls under Norwegian law as it took place on a Norwegian-owned ship and involved an employee of the vessel China
Both the district court and the court of appeal expressed concerns that the accused poses a flight risk, indicating a significant chance that he may attempt to leave Norway if not kept in custody. They noted that he has no personal ties to the country, aside from his employment with the shipping company.
The shipping company acknowledged the incident to Norwegian media outlet NRK but refrained from providing further comment. A spokesperson expressed, “We cannot say much due to the sensitivity of the situation regarding the woman involved. Our primary priority now is to ensure her well-being.”
Source: NRK
