Paul Goble
Staunton, Sept. 5 – Norway has rejected the suggestion of a Russian parliamentarian that a special prison for terrorists be constructed in Svalbard. That would violate the provisions of the Svalbard Treaty that gives Norway sovereignty over that archipelago even though it allows other signatory countries the right to engage in economic activities there.
Only Norway has the authority to authorize institutions like prisons on its territory, the region’s governor Lars Fause and John-Erik Vika of the Ministry for Justice and Public Security say. No other country has that right (dagbladet.no/nyheter/vi-har-makta/81902327 and thebarentsobserver.com/en/arctic/2024/09/russian-prison-out-question-svalbard-governor).
That would appear to kill any possibility that Moscow, which has been testing the resolve of Norway and the NATO alliance of which it is a part to defend Svalbard as part of Norway. (On that, see jamestown.org/program/moscows-first-move-against-nato-could-take-place-in-norways-svalbard-archipelago/ and windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2024/05/norwegian-security-expert-alarmed-by.html).
Duma deputy Ivan Sukharyov also suggested that Moscow should consider creating a special prison for terrorists on Novaya Zemlya, a Russian possession; and with Norway taking a hard line on such a facility in Svalbard, Moscow could move in that direction (ria.ru/20240903/tyurma-1970113222.html and thebarentsobserver.com/ru/2024/09/v-rossii-poyavilas-ideya-sozdat-tyurmu-dlya-terroristov-na-svaldbarde).
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