Norway Seeks Stricter Espionage Laws, Broader Security Service Powers

(MENAFN) Norway's government introduced proposed legislative changes on Monday aimed at strengthening protections against foreign intelligence activities and giving the country's domestic security agency greater investigative authority.

The amendments would widen the range of conduct considered criminal when carried out in support of foreign intelligence operations, while providing the Police Security Service (PST) with additional capabilities to prevent, identify and investigate suspected espionage.

Under the proposed legislation, gathering information for foreign intelligence purposes could become a criminal offense, whether the material is publicly accessible or classified, if the activity poses a threat to public interests.

The government also wants to facilitate prosecutions against individuals who adopt fabricated identities to collect information on behalf of foreign governments.

If approved, the changes would allow the security agency to make greater use of covert investigative methods when seeking to prevent or examine offenses covered by the proposed provisions.

Justice Minister Astri Aas-Hansen said the reforms were needed because foreign intelligence services had changed the methods they use to obtain information.

"We see that state actors can collect information that is not necessarily secret, but where, for example, the sum of it can harm national interests and thus pose a threat to all of us who live in Norway," she said.

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