Erik Ninn-Hansen
Encyclopedia
Erik Ninn-Hansen is a Danish
politician
. He served in the Cabinet of Hilmar Baunsgaard, first as Defence Minister
, and later as Finance Minister
. In the early 1970s he became leader of the Conservative People's Party
, but without much success, as the party slumped to its worst-ever results in the 1973
and 1975
elections.
In the 1980s cabinets of Poul Schlüter
, Ninn-Hansen served as Justice Minister
. It was from this position that he abused the powers vested in him by illegally stalling family reunion applications from relatives to Tamil
refugees, known as the Tamil Case
. When the story broke in 1989, Ninn-Hansen was forced to resign as cabinet minister. He served as Speaker of Parliament, but as the scope of the scandal increased, he was forced to resign this office as well. An independent inquiry headed by a Supreme Court Judge was set up to investigate the affair in the late 1980s. The resulting report of this committee led to the resignation of the Conservative
-Liberal
government in 1993.
Later that year, Erik Ninn-Hansen became the first person since 1910 to be impeached for high crimes and misdemeanours committed as a cabinet minister. In 1995 he was convicted on three charges of abuse of power, and was given a four months suspended prison sentence. The most important task in the impeachment process had been to establish responsibility for the affair. Ninn-Hansen's advanced age and poor health weighed against a full prison term.
An additional case of ministerial wrong-doing surfaced in 2007. Allegedly, Ninn-Hansen, then Minister of Justice, ordered that the ministry shelved requests to the French courts to have two Palestinian
PFLP prisoners and 6 mio. DKK handed over to the Danish justice system, presumably out of fears for new acts of terror on Denmark. The two PFLP members were presumably connected the notorious Danish terror cell Blekingegadebanden and had been caught on the 26 March 1984 trying to leave De Gaulle airport France with six million DKK in suitcases, on their way to Damaskus. Earlier that month, on the 2nd March 1983, a Danish money transport had been robbed of 8.3 mio. DKK by Blekingegadebanden in Købmagergadekuppet, in which a young policeman was shot dead. Police officers responsible for the investigation were silenced by the Ministry of Justice and ordered to cease the investigation. Relevant files in the ministry of justice have routinely been destroyed, and Erik Ninn-Hansen either cannot or will not recall any details. The author Peter Øvig Knudsen discovered correspondence between the French and Danish authorities in the files of the ministry of foreign affairs, as the communications had taken place under the auspiced of that ministry. In 2008 an ongoing investigative commission of cold war affairs, the so-called PET-kommissionen, was asked also to report on this issue. In 2009 it concluded that both the French and Danish authorities mutually and silently had agreed not to prosecute the PLFP prisoners, but also that it was within the discretion of Ninn-Hansen to take such a decision and that he cannot be criticized. There have been several calls in parliament for a new in-depth investigation of this issue.
Ninn-Hansen is no longer associated with politics.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He served in the Cabinet of Hilmar Baunsgaard, first as Defence Minister
Defence Minister of Denmark
The Defence Minister of Denmark is the Danish political minister as the head of the Danish Ministry of Defence, and is responsible for the Danish military, keeping Denmark defended against external threats, waging war on behalf of Denmark , and the surveillance of the Danish sea and airspace.The...
, and later as Finance Minister
Finance Minister of Denmark
The Finance Minister of Denmark is the head of the Ministry of Finance of Denmark, and a member of the Cabinet. As head of the ministry, the minister has responsibility for the ministry's tasks of administrering the state finances via the fiscal policy, and making economic predictions and...
. In the early 1970s he became leader of the Conservative People's Party
Conservative People's Party (Denmark)
The Conservative People's Party , also known as Conservatives is a Danish political party.-History:The party was founded 1915 based mostly on its predecessor, Højre , but also on the Free Conservatives and a moderate faction of Venstre , the liberals.The party has participated in several coalition...
, but without much success, as the party slumped to its worst-ever results in the 1973
Danish parliamentary election, 1973
Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 4 December 1973 and in the Faroe Islands on 13 December. It has since been referred to as the Landslide Election , as five new or previously unrepresented parties won seats, and more than half the members of the parliament were replaced...
and 1975
Danish parliamentary election, 1975
Parliamentary elections were held in Denmark on 9 January 1975. The result was a victory for the Social Democratic Party, who won 53 of the 179 seats. Voter turnout was 88.2% in Denmark proper, 56.1% in the Faroe Islands and 68.7% in Greenland.-Results:...
elections.
In the 1980s cabinets of Poul Schlüter
Poul Schlüter
Poul Holmskov Schlüter is a Danish politician, who served as Prime Minister of Denmark from 1982 to 1993.Born in Tønder, south Jutland, he graduated from the University of Copenhagen in 1957 with a degree in law, and joined the bar in 1960. Schlüter was a member of the Danish Parliament for the...
, Ninn-Hansen served as Justice Minister
Justice Minister of Denmark
The Danish Minister for Justice is the head of the Ministry of Justice and a cabinet member.Under the current government, the post is held by Morten Bødskov.As the head of the department, the minister is responsible for:* The General judicial system including...
. It was from this position that he abused the powers vested in him by illegally stalling family reunion applications from relatives to Tamil
Tamil people
Tamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...
refugees, known as the Tamil Case
Tamil Case (Denmark)
The Tamil Case is the name of a case about family reunification in Denmark of Tamil refugees from the Sri Lankan Civil War. The case led to the resignation of the government led by Poul Schlüter in 1993.-History:...
. When the story broke in 1989, Ninn-Hansen was forced to resign as cabinet minister. He served as Speaker of Parliament, but as the scope of the scandal increased, he was forced to resign this office as well. An independent inquiry headed by a Supreme Court Judge was set up to investigate the affair in the late 1980s. The resulting report of this committee led to the resignation of the Conservative
Conservative People's Party (Denmark)
The Conservative People's Party , also known as Conservatives is a Danish political party.-History:The party was founded 1915 based mostly on its predecessor, Højre , but also on the Free Conservatives and a moderate faction of Venstre , the liberals.The party has participated in several coalition...
-Liberal
Venstre (Denmark)
VenstreThe party name is officially not translated into any other language, but is in English often referred to as the Liberal Party. Similar rules apply for the name of the party's youth wing Venstres Ungdom. , full name Venstre, Danmarks Liberale Parti , is the largest political party in Denmark...
government in 1993.
Later that year, Erik Ninn-Hansen became the first person since 1910 to be impeached for high crimes and misdemeanours committed as a cabinet minister. In 1995 he was convicted on three charges of abuse of power, and was given a four months suspended prison sentence. The most important task in the impeachment process had been to establish responsibility for the affair. Ninn-Hansen's advanced age and poor health weighed against a full prison term.
An additional case of ministerial wrong-doing surfaced in 2007. Allegedly, Ninn-Hansen, then Minister of Justice, ordered that the ministry shelved requests to the French courts to have two Palestinian
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
PFLP prisoners and 6 mio. DKK handed over to the Danish justice system, presumably out of fears for new acts of terror on Denmark. The two PFLP members were presumably connected the notorious Danish terror cell Blekingegadebanden and had been caught on the 26 March 1984 trying to leave De Gaulle airport France with six million DKK in suitcases, on their way to Damaskus. Earlier that month, on the 2nd March 1983, a Danish money transport had been robbed of 8.3 mio. DKK by Blekingegadebanden in Købmagergadekuppet, in which a young policeman was shot dead. Police officers responsible for the investigation were silenced by the Ministry of Justice and ordered to cease the investigation. Relevant files in the ministry of justice have routinely been destroyed, and Erik Ninn-Hansen either cannot or will not recall any details. The author Peter Øvig Knudsen discovered correspondence between the French and Danish authorities in the files of the ministry of foreign affairs, as the communications had taken place under the auspiced of that ministry. In 2008 an ongoing investigative commission of cold war affairs, the so-called PET-kommissionen, was asked also to report on this issue. In 2009 it concluded that both the French and Danish authorities mutually and silently had agreed not to prosecute the PLFP prisoners, but also that it was within the discretion of Ninn-Hansen to take such a decision and that he cannot be criticized. There have been several calls in parliament for a new in-depth investigation of this issue.
Ninn-Hansen is no longer associated with politics.