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Russian embassy expresses protest to Norway over detention of diplomat

The embassy stated that the Norwegian law enforcement had searched the Russian diplomat, adding that law enforcement officers "did not give him the opportunity to contact the embassy or to summon an employee of the consular department to the incident site"

MOSCOW, August 19. /TASS/. The Russian Embassy in Norway has expressed protest to the Norwegian Foreign Ministry over the detention of a Russian deputy trade representative, the embassy stated on Facebook, adding that Russia will make its conclusions about the situation.

"On August 15, 2020, a [Russian] deputy trade representative was detained groundlessly by the Norwegian Police Security Service during the meeting with a Norwegian citizen," the embassy stated. "We have expressed protest to the Norwegian Foreign Ministry in relation to the violation of a diplomat’s status. Russia will make its conclusions about this."

The embassy stated that the Norwegian law enforcement had searched the Russian diplomat, adding that law enforcement officers "did not give him the opportunity to contact the embassy or to summon an employee of the consular department to the incident site."

Norway’s Verdens Gang newspaper claimed on Wednesday that Alexander Stekolshchikov, an employee of the Russian trade mission in Norway, is the Russian diplomat set to be expulsed from Oslo over a spy scandal. The newspaper informed that it had contacted the Russian national, however, he provided no comment.

On Saturday, the Norwegian Police Security Service detained a Norwegian citizen suspected of transmitting important information to a foreign state. He was holding a meeting with a Russian intelligence officer, the security service claimed. According to the Norwegian media, such meetings began several years ago and were held several times. Norway’s Dagbladet newspaper informed that the Russian officer had diplomatic immunity, which is why Norway could not detain him.

On Wednesday, the Norwegian Foreign Ministry informed that the Russian national would be deported from Norway "because he has engaged in actions that are incompatible with his role and status as a diplomat." The ministry did not provide the diplomat’s name or position.