Supreme Court issues verdict in Greenlandic rape case

On Friday, the Supreme Court ruled in a rape case from Greenland. It was the first case in which a person in Greenland was convicted of rape under the new rules on consent.

The man had been allowed to appeal the decision of the Greenland High Court in January 2025, in which he was sentenced to six months in prison as an unconditional sentence.

The Supreme Court found that the decision was appropriate, and has therefore upheld the judgment of the High Court.

It all concerned an incident in Nuuk in January 2024. The man had sexual intercourse with a female acquaintance in her home. Both the district court and the high court found it proven that consent was lacking. He was therefore to be convicted of rape under Section 77 of the Criminal Code.

Criticism of the High Court – but unchanged verdict

Defense lawyer Eddie Omar Rosenberg Khawaja wanted his client acquitted by the Supreme Court. The defense argued that the High Court had not made the necessary assessment of what the man had intended to do in the situation.

The Supreme Court actually also believed that the Greenland High Court should have looked into that issue in more detail.

However, the Supreme Court still did not believe that there was sufficient reason to overturn the verdict to an acquittal.

Therefore, it ended in another defeat in court for the convicted man.

– I and my client are satisfied that the Supreme Court has essentially ruled that the High Court should have explicitly considered whether my client had the intention to violate Section 77 of the Criminal Code, which was not the case, says Eddie Omar Rosenberg Khawaja.

– I then take note that the Supreme Court finds that the High Court's judgment must nevertheless be understood in that direction, he adds.

The Supreme Court also considered whether the perpetrator should receive a milder measure than the unconditional sentence of six months. But it was an appropriate measure, the Supreme Court concluded.