Think the trial begins in march: - Berg is very relieved

The spionsiktede Norwegian Frode Berg (63) was in the day morning " I again in municipal court in Moscow.

the Imprisonment was lengthened to 5. april, confirms his Russian lawyer, Ilya Novikov, to Dagbladet.

Berg has now been in custody in Moscow since he is 5. December 2017 was apprehended by the FSB in the Russian capital.

Here spionsiktede Frode imprisoned Believe in trial in march

Novikov tells Dagbladet that he believes the trial against Berg will begin in mid-march.

- But if we are lucky it will come up in the beginning of march, " says Novikov to the Newspaper.

He tells me that the case probably will be sent to the prosecutor in the middle of February. From it happens estimate Novikov that it will take just over a month before the matter is scheduled, but hope that it can happen faster.

Previously Novikov provided a number of estimates on when the trial will begin, but the case has ever been exposed.

the Reason that the Russian lawyer now feel more secure in his case, is a change of attitude from the aktoratets - FSBs - page.

Today's fengslingsmøte was also of a technical nature. The difference from earlier is that the investigators seem eager to have the matter tried to the court, " says Novikov.

Previously believe Novikov that the FSB has trenert the case with will.

Looking forward to the trial

In his 421 days long captivity in Moscow have Berg met to fengslingsmøter a number of times.

- How did Berg on what happened in court today?

Defenders: - Frode Berg was on assignment for the E-service

in the Summer of 2018, he was told by the prosecutors that it would take one year time before the case could be tried to the court. This he was very disappointed. Now he knows that we are near the end and is, of course, very relieved. Now he's looking forward to the trial starting, and get it over with. For him is the time factor that is most important.

About Bergs behavior during fengslingsmøtet, says Novikov:

He was very quiet. He's become accustomed to Russian judges and know what a Russian hearing is.

Novikov says that the Berg health condition is satisfactory, but not "totally good".

- He is 63 years old and have certain health problems. But he wants people to know that he comes through the case.

Very positive

the Leader of Frode Berg support group in South-Varanger, received the current messages from the Novikov with joy.

- the Messages from Moscow today is very positive. Once the lawyer now says that the case can finally come up for the right, we see positive on it, " says Øystein Hansen, director of Frode Berg support group in South-Varanger.

Hansen is glad that the Churches-community, Frode Berg family and Frode Berg even finally can see an end to the nightmare.

" It has been a difficult year for us here in the grensesamfunnet in the north. The demand has been great for the community, even if we Støttegruppa now see that Frode Berg-case can have many facets.

What do you mean?

- We have all the time been more concerned that the Norwegian authorities should be more on the path the political face of the russians. The Norwegian authorities have a responsibility, for Norwegian citizens who are sitting abroad. It is especially important in this case, because we have reason to believe that Frode Berg was used by the Norwegian E-service, " says Øystein Hansen to Dagbladet.

Charged with espionage

63-year-old Berg is the former grenseinspektør and worked at the Norwegian grensekomissariat in Sør-Varanger in 24 years.

His retirement in 2014.

He is charged with espionage against Russia, and will risk a penalty of up to 20 years in prison. He is accused of having received secret documents about the Russian nordflåten.

Notorious prison

Since he was apprehended by the Russian security service the FSB, her heir to the KGB, he has been in custody in the notorious Lefortovo prison in Moscow.

the Prison is reserved for persons who are considered to be a threat to Russian security.

the Prison is a stone's throw away from the FSBs offices, and was in its time notorious as oppbevaringsanstalt for political prisoners when the FSB was called the KGB.

3000 euro in cash

When Berg was arrested in 2017 should he have had on him 3000 euros in cash. This is money that the Russian authorities believe that he was going to use to obtain secret information about the Russian nordflåten.

the Money was, according to Russian investigators go to the Bergs alleged informant, who last December was sentenced to 13 years in prison.

To their lawyers, the former grenseinspektøren told that several times he traveled on missions to Russia on behalf of the Norwegian intelligence services.

It could be the Newspaper report in april.

- the E-service should be ashamed

In april also took Frode Berg's wife, Anita Berg, the blade from the mouth. Opposite the Newspaper went criticized she E-service is powerful.

- the E-service should really take responsibility for what they have done to Frode and our family. I get very provoked when I think of them. They should be ashamed, she said.

She described her husband as mentally strong, but told me that she was worried about skadevirkningen of imprisonment in the prison in Moscow.

DESPERATE: the Wife of the spionsiktede Frode Berg is left in the Churches, full of questions. The mayor of Sør-Varanger municipality believes the e-service does not take responsibility and Øystein Hansen, head of the støttegruppa, call the authorities ' handling of the case shameful. The day after revelations that Frode Berg was a courier for the Norwegian e-services is characterized with the small l... Show more