NRK fine described as 'an attempt at censorship'

Press freedom and censorhip are not issues that one would associate with Norway, but a fine imposed on public broadcaster NRK for defying a court order not to broadcast a documentary has raised them.

It's the first time a Norwegian court has ever ordered a broadcaster not to transmit a news programme.

In October, the NRK programme Brennpunkt (Hot Spot) had prepared a documentary on police methods used to investigate a brutal, commando-style bank robbery in Stavanger in April 2004. The robbers shot and killed a police officer.

A key source in the documentary, Christer Tromsdal, went to the Oslo Appeals Court saying airing the programme would put his life in danger because he had been a police informant. The court ordered NRK not to broadcast the programme, but NRK Chief Executive John G Bernander defied the order and the programme went ahead. Tromsdal then filed a police complaint against NRK.

Bernander says he regarded the court order to stop the broadcast as an attempt at censorship, and says he will fight the fine (equivalent to US$23,000).

"We disagree with the legal basis for this, and we want, on grounds of principle, to have the courts evaluate this," said Bernander.

Source: Media Network