An Indian husband and wife charged with abusing their six-year-old son were found guilty by an Oslo court this week and sentenced to 18 and 15 months in prison respectively. Their lawyer said the verdict would be appealed.
The couple is accused of hurting their son with a hot spoon and beating him with a belt. It is illegal to physically punish children in Norway, and the prison terms were in line with what prosecutors requested.
The case has attracted widespread media coverage in India, also since the couple was held in custody pending the verdict in the case because they held airline tickets to India for a flight the day after their sentencing was due. Authorities feared they would not return to Norway to serve their terms.
Their defense attorney, Adeline Brenden-Veisal, was shaken by their sentence and vowed an appeal. “These are decent people who have followed all the rules,” Brenden-Veisal told news bureau NTB. They deny abusing their son and Indian authorities reportedly have asked that they be released
newsinenglish.no staff
