Norway’s former prime minister, Thorbjørn Jagland, will face further investigations in connection with the Epstein scandal, after his immunity from prosecution was lifted on Wednesday.
At Norway’s request, the Council of Europe removed the immunity Jagland’s had from 2009 to 2019 as secretary general of the human rights organization.
The Norwegian Economic Crime Authority is investigating whether Jagland accepted gifts, trips and loans during his term as head of the organization, which is not an EU institution.
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The news agency NTB reported that documents from the files relating to the case of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein show that Jagland had contact with the US businessman on several occasions between 2016 and 2018.
During this period the Norwegian was both secretary general of the Council of Europe and a member of the Norwegian Nobel Committee. He was chairman of the committee from 2009 to 2015.
Jagland’s lawyer told NTB that his client had expected his immunity to be waived. Jagland, he said, had already sent documents to the responsible investigating authority and wanted to support them “in the further clarification of the facts.”
