Title: Norwegian Man Detained for Alleged Sexual Assault on Ship in China
A recent judgment from the Gulating Court of Appeal has revealed that a 24-year-old man has been remanded in custody for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman on a ship owned by a Norwegian shipping company. The incident is believed to have occurred late last autumn while the vessel was berthed in an eastern Chinese city.
The man, who is not a Norwegian citizen, was arrested on November 27 in the Netherlands and extradited to Norway. Two days later, he was presented for custodial detention at Hordaland District Court in Bergen. The court initially remanded him in custody for four weeks, and this was later extended by another four weeks before the New Year.
The man’s defense lawyer, Einar Råen, declined to comment further on the case, stating, "My client denies any criminal responsibility. Beyond that, I have no comments to make."
The woman, according to the charges, was either unconscious or otherwise unable to resist at the time of the alleged incident. The man is also charged with attempted rape, reportedly involving two separate incidents, according to NRK’s information.
The man contends that he and the woman had a consensual sexual relationship. The Norwegian authorities have jurisdiction over the case because the incident occurred on a Norwegian-owned ship and the man was employed on the vessel, as per the Norwegian Penal Code § 4.
"The case is being investigated in Norway because the incident took place on a Norwegian-owned ship, and the accused is employed on the ship," the judgment states. Both the district court and the court of appeal believe there is a significant risk that the man will leave Norway if not kept in custody, as he has no ties to the country beyond his employment.
The shipping company has confirmed the incident to NRK but declined further comment out of respect for the woman involved. "We can’t say much out of consideration for the woman who has been affected," the company’s press officer said. "Our focus now is to provide support to her."
NRK has not yet been able to contact the police prosecutor, Farzad Izad, or the woman’s support lawyer.
