In order to conduct the police investigation, it was necessary to lift Jagland’s immunity, and Norway’s Foreign Ministry said it had asked the 46 member states of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers to approve this step.
The Council of Europe, the continent’s leading human rights organization, announced Wednesday that it has agreed to lift the diplomatic immunity of its former Norwegian Secretary General, Thorbjoern Jagland, clearing the way for police to investigate his possible links to Jeffrey Epstein. Norway’s economic crimes police have launched an investigation into Jagland, a former prime minister and foreign minister as well as former chairman of the Nobel Peace Prize Committee, on suspicion of serious corruption.
The decision to investigate Jagland, who was Secretary General of the Council of Europe from 2009 to 2019, was based on information revealed by newly released files on Epstein, a convicted sex offender in the US who died in prison in 2019. Jagland’s lawyer, Anders Brosveet, said the decision to lift his immunity was expected and that his client would cooperate with the investigating authorities to clarify all issues. “He takes this matter very seriously, but wants to emphasize that he believes that there are no circumstances that constitute criminal liability,” Brosveet said in a statement.
To conduct the police investigation, it was necessary to lift Jagland’s immunity, and Norway’s foreign ministry said it had asked the 46 member states of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers to approve the move. Jagland has not been formally charged with any crime, but the investigation into him is aimed at finding out whether he accepted gifts or loans in connection with his position, authorities said. “If Jagland, as the elected Secretary General of the Council of Europe, had accepted a bribe, he would have breached the special trust attached to his office,” said a letter from Norwegian police to the Council dated 8 February, requesting the lifting of immunity.
The release of a new batch of files in the US has revealed new connections between Epstein and politicians, royals and wealthy individuals in Europe and the United States. The files show, among other things, that in 2014 Jagland and Epstein’s aides had made detailed plans for Jagland, his wife, two children and his son’s girlfriend to visit Epstein in Palm Beach and on his private island in the Caribbean. Jagland, then secretary general of the Council of Europe, has denied ever visiting Epstein’s private island. According to a 2014 email, he had asked Epstein for help in financing an apartment in Oslo.
Emails from 2018 show that Epstein had asked Jagland to arrange a meeting between him and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, saying he had ideas to present to President Vladimir Putin. Jagland had promised to raise the matter with Lavrov’s aide. Norwegian police said on Monday they were also investigating two high-profile diplomats in a separate corruption probe linked to Epstein, while Norway’s crown princess has repeatedly apologized for her friendship with the late financier. (Euronews.eu)