The Council of Europe - the continent's leading human rights watchdog - has decided to lift the diplomatic immunity of its former Secretary General, Norwegian Thorbjorn Jagland, reports "Reuters". This will allow police to investigate his possible links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, News.bg reports.
The Norwegian White Collar Crime Police have launched an investigation into Jagland - a former prime minister and foreign minister of Norway and former chairman of the Nobel Committee - on suspicion of aggravated corruption.
The decision to investigate is based on information from newly released files related to Epstein, who died in prison in 2019. Jagland's lawyer, Anders Brosvet, said that the lifting of immunity was expected and that Jagland would cooperate with the investigation. "He takes the matter very seriously, but he believes that there are no circumstances that constitute criminal liability," Brosvet said.
In order to conduct a police investigation, it was necessary to lift Jagland's immunity. Norway's foreign ministry has asked the 46 member states of the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers to approve the move.
Jagland has not been charged with any crime, but the investigation is looking into whether he received gifts, travel or loans in connection with his position. "As Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Jagland would have breached the special trust attached to the position if he had accepted bribes," a letter from Norwegian police dated February 8 said.
The new files reveal Epstein's numerous connections to politicians, royalty and ultra-wealthy people in Europe and the United States. They show that in 2014, Jagland and Epstein's aides planned visits for Jagland, his family and his son's relatives to Epstein's properties in Palm Beach and the Caribbean. Jagland denies ever visiting the financier's private island.
Emails from 2014 show that Jagland sought Epstein's help in financing an apartment in Oslo. In 2018, Epstein asked Jagland to arrange a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and offered ideas for President Vladimir Putin. Jagland promised to discuss the matter with Lavrov's assistant.
In addition to Jagland, Norwegian police are also investigating two senior diplomats in a separate corruption investigation related to Epstein. Norway's crown princess has repeatedly apologized for her close ties to the financier. Norway's parliamentary oversight committee unanimously approved a rare external investigation into the Foreign Ministry's ties to Epstein.