MOSCOW, November 6. /TASS/: The Kremlin administration has received a pardon request from Norwegian citizen Frode Berg, who was jailed for espionage in Russia, and will consider it in line with normal procedures, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Wednesday.
"He [Frode Berg] is serving his 14-year sentence for espionage and he has sent a pardon request to the Russian president," Peskov said.
According to Peskov, the request will be considered in accordance with the established procedures on granting pardon in Russia, approved by a presidential decree on December 28, 2001. "The entire procedure is outlined there," Peskov noted.
Berg was detained in Moscow in December 2017 in a special operation carried out by the Federal Security Service (FSB), and was charged with espionage under Article 276 of the Russian Criminal Code.
Investigators found out that the Norwegian national had collected information about Russia’s nuclear submarines from a defense company’s staff member, who was under intelligence surveillance. According to investigators, Berg cooperated with the Norwegian Intelligence Service. The Moscow City Court found Berg guilty on April 16, sentencing him to 14 years in a high security prison.
