Norway denies asylum to Mexican who interrupted Nobel ceremony

Copenhagen, Dec 12 (IANS/EFE) Norwegian authorities have denied the request for political asylum by a young Mexican who interrupted the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony held in Oslo Town Hall, Norwegian television channels reported.

"They say I cannot prove my life is in danger if I return to Mexico. They think I exaggerate, I hope they are right," Adan Cortes Salas, 21, told TV2 in comments broadcast late Thursday.

Salas went up on the stage Wednesday with a Mexican flag stained with fake blood when Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan and Kailash Satyarthi of India had just been presented with their joint award.

The young man, who showed the channel the resolution of his case from the Directorate of Immigration, was transferred Thursday to the detention centre for foreigners in Trandum, Oslo, after spending nearly a day under police guard.

The case was settled in criminal courts with a fine of $2,098 for breach of peace and illegal entry into the Town Hall.

But Salas would appear in an Oslo Court Friday because police asked him to be put under provisional arrest for violating immigration laws and possibility of escape.

"I wanted to attract the attention of the world to Mexico so that they see what is happening there. My message was to request assistance to Mexico. That was what I shouted. I turned and tried to ask Malala and Kailash Satyarthi about an opportunity to say something, and tell about what is happening in Mexico. Authorities kill students," Salas told public channel NRK.

Salas said that he did not regret his actions and would do so again, although he apologised if he had frightened anyone.

According to police, Salas neither had an invitation to access the Oslo Town Hall nor was he accredited as a journalist, but managed to evade security and nobody asked for his identification.

"It was easy to enter, I did not hide or anything, I went to the main entrance. I looked like someone who was invited and I exuded it. I think that I looked very confident and made me look like I belonged," he told NRK.

The incident, which has drawn criticism from Norwegians and the media which questioned security arrangements at the event, led the police to beef up security at the other events of the Nobel Peace programme which ended Thursday with a concert at the Oslo Spektrum arena.

--IANS/EFE

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