The Alliance for Rights-Oriented Drug Policies
Your Rights Watch
As more and more nations regulate the cannabis market to protect public health, no state can take for granted that the prohibition fulfils a legitimate purpose. Instead, a human rights analysis is needed to look at the rights of drug law violators, and several times AROD has brought cannabis to the Norwegian authorities to have this issue resolved before the courts.
Even so, all attempts to challenge the law have been met by a wall of silence. For more than a decade, even the European Court of Human Rights has shied away from its duty to deliver a verdict on this issue, and the right of 700 million citizens to a fair trial and an effective remedy has yet to be recognized.
Therefore, on the 16th of November, with five letters, AROD launched a new campaign of civil disobedience to assist the rule of law. Inside these letters, there is sufficient cannabis to get a case before the court, and time will tell how the Norwegian state will respond.
Will AROD be allowed to show a connection between drug policy and the arbitrary persecution of the past, or will the Norwegian state continue to ignore the evidence of human rights violations?
This letter to the Director of Public Prosecutions presents ARODs list of evidence, witnesses, and legal strategy:
More letters of civil disobedience
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AROD to the Commission for Drug Policy Enforcement (Norwegian)
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AROD to the Commission for Drug Policy Enforcement (English)
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AROD to Katrine Holter at the Norwegian Police University College (Norwegian)
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AROD to Katrine Holter at the Norwegian Police University College (English)
New Civil Disobedience
Phase 2: More letters
AROD have not heard from the police about our letters containing cannabis. We therefore present another round of letters that aim to provide legal protection for the persecuted, this time addressed to the Norwegian Prime Minister and professors of law.
Case documents
The police has contacted AROD. The police did not want to think about legal issues that compromises the drug law, and this is our response to the police:
After this letter the police accepted ARODs terms. On 20 November 2024 therefore ARODs leader Roar Mikalsen testified to the police about the reasons for sending cannabis in the mail to politicians, and this follow-up letter details the duties of the police to investigate the connection to the arbitrary persecution of the past:
The prosecutor does not want to provide an effective remedy. Instead, the police want one day in court to ensure that the drug law escapes scrutiny, and this letter reminds the prosecutor of her duties to the rule of law:
On 25. November 2024 the case is ready for Oslo City Court. The police refuses to let the defense present evidence and the judge has accepted the request of the police. In response, AROD has appealed to the Supreme Court and filed a complaint against the prosecutor and the judge:
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AROD complaint against prosecutor Christine Lundstien 16-10-24
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Response from the Norwegian Bureau for the Investigation of Police Affairs
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AROD complaint to the Director of Public Prosecution against prosecutor
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AROD follow-up to the Director of Public Prosecutions 28-12-24
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AROD complaint against chief prosecutor Runar Torgersen, 28-01-25
The process of the Oslo City Court was a travesty of justice as the defense was denied an opportunity to challenge the law. Here is the verdict:
Questions to the Minister of Justice
These are the questions that the Norwegian Minister of Justice must answer for drug prohibition to be continued.
On this basis AROD challenges the law.
Norwegian
English
