- globemigrant.com

Activist extradition Norway received a significant boost when a Norwegian appeals court ruled on May 15, 2026, to halt the extradition of human rights defender Tommy Olsen to Greece. Human Rights Watch hailed this decision as a crucial win for human rights. Initially, a district court approved the extradition on March 16, but Olsen’s legal team promptly filed an appeal against the decision. The Hålogaland Court of Appeal unanimously determined that the actions cited by Greek officials in their extradition request do not align with criminal offenses defined under Norwegian law. Furthermore, they concluded that extraditing Olsen would pose a risk to his freedom of expression, as protected under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The court indicated that Olsen’s actions fall under lawful activities safeguarded by international agreements binding both Norway and Greece. Eva Cossé, a senior Europe researcher at Human Rights Watch, stated, “The court’s ruling against the extradition of Tommy Olsen represents a significant victory for human rights defenders, sending a clear message against Greece’s efforts to suppress dissent.” She urged Greece to withdraw the warrant and dismiss all charges against Olsen and his co-defendant Panayote Dimitras. Olsen, who founded the NGO Aegean Boat Report, faced unfounded allegations from Greek authorities in 2023 tied to his role in documenting illegal pushbacks of migrants and asylum seekers at Greece’s borders. His prosecution alongside Greek human rights advocate, Panayote Dimitras, who is affiliated with the Greek Helsinki Monitor, raises concerns over the misuse of law to silence critics. Human Rights Watch emphasized that Greece must drop all charges against both Olsen and Dimitras, ending the practice of employing criminal law for harassment. The case of Olsen and Dimitras signifies a broader trend of utilizing criminal law to intimidate activists advocating for migrant rights. In January, a court in Lesbos acquitted 24 humanitarian workers of felony charges after enduring a lengthy seven-year battle, during which many faced detention for their peaceful activism. This incident has been termed the “largest case of criminalization of solidarity in Europe” by the European Parliament. Recently, Greek authorities enacted legislation that facilitates the criminalization of civil society organizations assisting migrants and asylum seekers. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders, Mary Lawlor, expressed serious concerns on March 19 regarding Olsen’s arrest, labeling the charges as being in “direct retaliation” for his advocacy work, part of a broader history of documented repression targeting rights defenders in Greece. Under the European Arrest Warrant, extraditions between member states of the European Union are typically automatic, and similar rules apply to Norway, a non-EU country. However, the Court of Justice of the European Union has affirmed that extraditions can be deferred or canceled on human rights grounds. As long as Olsen's extradition request is valid under the warrant, he faces potential arrest and extradition to Greece if he travels to any EU state. Cossé added, “Olsen remains vulnerable to politically charged prosecution and potential extradition while Greece’s European Arrest Warrant stays active. Greece must revoke the warrant, and other nations should respond similarly as the Norwegian court has.” Learn more about this case at Human Rights Watch and the United Nations. Source: https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/05/19/norway-court-blocks-activists-extradition-to-greece

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