Norwegian police have conducted searches at the homes and properties of former Prime Minister and former Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjorn Jagland, as part of an ongoing investigation into suspicions of corruption and his links to American financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The news was confirmed by Jagland's lawyer and by Norwegian authorities. Images published by local media outlets VG, Dagbladet, Dagens Næringsliv and Aftenposten show investigators leaving Jagland's residence in Oslo with seized materials.
The checks were carried out by the Norwegian unit against economic crime and corruption, Okokrim, a day after the Council of Europe – the continent's main human rights institution, which Jagland led from 2009 to 2019 – decided to strip him of his diplomatic immunity.
"Okokrim is currently conducting searches at Thorbjorn Jagland's residence and properties. This was expected and is a standard part of an investigation of this nature," his lawyer, Anders Brosveet, stated.
According to him, Jagland is already under investigation for corruption, in accordance with Norwegian law, a procedural stage that precedes the filing of formal charges and gives the suspect the right to legal representation. In Norway, the filing of formal charges usually occurs at a more advanced stage of the process, sometimes just a few weeks before the start of the trial.
"This does not represent any fundamental change in the case, but is a legal consequence of the investigative methods used by the police," Brosveet added.
Jagland himself has also reacted, telling Aftenposten that he is "very pleased that the matter is being clarified."
Meanwhile, Okokrim chief Paal Loenseth told Reuters that, in addition to the apartment in Oslo, a property in a coastal town in southern Norway and another in the mountainous county of Telemark were also searched. He confirmed that Jagland would be questioned as part of the proceedings.
Jagland's name came to light after the release of documents related to the Epstein case. According to reports, in 2012 he sent an e-mail to Jeffrey Epstein, in which he wrote: "I was in Tirana, there are extraordinary girls."
Investigations are continuing to fully clarify the circumstances and nature of his relationship with Epstein, while Norwegian authorities have not yet provided further details on the progress of the case.
