• Norway has entered into a historic agreement, under which it will rent 242 prison spaces from the Netherlands in a bid to address its lack of jail space and prisoner waiting list.
• It is reported that 1,300 Norwegians are on a waiting list to serve out their sentences.
• Norway’s lack of prison space is due to many of its facilities being renovated.
• The deal is still to be approved by the Norwegian parliament, with many critics opposing the move on the grounds that friends and relatives would need to travel extensively to visit inmates and that the funds could be better spent on building and expanding Norway’s current prison system.
• Switzerland is facing a similar problem and is reportedly considering sending its prisoners to France or Germany.

Read more:

http://rt.com/news/236905-norway-deal-netherlands-jail/

http://www.independent.ie/world-news/europe/norway-signs-deal-to-rent-dutch-prison-cells-31036764.html

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/03/dutch-prisoners-sue-government-over-deal-for-norweigan-convicts-to-take-their-cells

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