Last week, the Greenland High Court moved from Nuuk to Ilulissat for a short remark. On the agenda were a number of criminal cases, primarily from North Greenland. Among them were three different rape cases.
The cases were all appealed by men who were found guilty of rape in Qaasuistsoq District Court last year. They are not related to each other.
The outcome of the three cases in the High Court was two convictions and one acquittal:
On March 17, the High Court found a man from Qaanaaq guilty of rape by sexual intercourse other than intercourse, committed against a sleeping woman.
The High Court agreed with the District Court that two months in prison was the appropriate sentence.
On March 18, the High Court found a man from Upernavik guilty of rape by intercourse. He was also guilty of violence and indecent assault against other persons.
The High Court again agreed with the District Court and upheld a sentence of 1 year and 8 months.
On March 19, the outcome was different. Here, a young man won his appeal in the High Court, as he was acquitted of rape.
Last year, the District Court found him guilty of abusing a significantly younger family member in a settlement in North Greenland, and at that time he was sentenced to 1 year in prison.
However, new information came to light during the appeal. This prompted the Greenland High Court to change the sentence, so the man has now been acquitted.
