Arne Treholt

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Arne Treholt (born December 13, 1942) is a former Norwegian social democratic politician and diplomat convicted of high treason and espionage on behalf of the Soviet Union and Iraq.

He was member of the Norwegian Labour Party and was also journalist for the national daily Arbeiderbladet. He was political secretary for commerce minister Jens Evensen before he became deputy foreign minister in the bureau of maritime affairs 1976–1978. From 1979–1982 he was connected to the Norwegian UN delegation in New York as an embassy counsellor. During the years 1982–1983 he studied at the Norwegian Joint Staff College. He was also department head of division for the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' press from 1983.

On March 20, 2006, the Norwegian News Agency (NTB) reported[1] that Treholt had been admitted to a hospital in Cyprus and is in stable but critical condition, and in a coma, possibly suffering from blood poisoning.

1 Espionage accusations
2 Basis for conviction
3 Publications
4 External links

[edit] Espionage accusations

As a result of suspicion, Treholt was placed under surveillance by Norwegian counterintelligence services for several years of his career in the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) and the Norwegian ministry of foreign affairs. Fearing that he was about to defect to the Soviet Union, Norwegian authorities arrested him on January 20, 1984 at Oslo Airport on his way to Paris.

Arne Treholt (left) with KGB-officers Gennadij Titov and Aleksander Lopatin in the streets of Vienna.

Following a much publicized and controversial trial, Treholt was convicted for treason and sentenced to 20 years in prison, one year short of the maximum sentence allowed under the Norwegian penal code (a Norwegian "life" sentence is 21 years). The conviction included espionage for the Soviet Union and Iraq, and high treason.

While serving his sentence Treholt made one unsuccessful escape attempt. He was eventually reprieved by the government of Gro Harlem Brundtland July 3, 1992.

[edit] Basis for conviction

Treholt was convicted and sentenced for passing classified material to KGB in the period 1974–1983 and to the Iraqi Intelligence Service 1981–1983. The sentence also encompassed handing over secrets obtained at the Norwegian Joint Staff College where he was enrolled with authorization from the non-socialist coalition government. He was admitted despite the fact that the government of Prime Minister Kåre Willoch knew that he was under suspicion of espionage.

The trial led to a heated and extensive public debate about the Treholt case in Norway. The controversy concerned the evidence against Treholt, the conduct of the police and prosecuting authorities, and what was viewed as lenient treatment of Treholt while he was under suspicion.

Treholt has consistently denied any guilt, but has admitted that he shared low grade documents with other UN diplomats (Including Sovjet) to get things done. Following his release, Arne Treholt emigrated to Russia where he works as a businessman and consultant in Russia and Cyprus.