I’m being SILENCED by the Norwegian court

Journalist Peter Imanuelsen is being silenced by the court and preventing him from doing his job as a journalist.

Photo of Peter Imanuelsen

Free speech and journalism is now under attack in Norway and in Europe.

As you might know, earlier this year I exposed inappropriate behavior towards young girls from pastors in so called ”christian” cults.

They would talk about very sexually inappropriate things with the youth, and the youth pastor would even drive with them to gyms late at night. The behavior very much reminded of grooming behavior.

After this was reported to the church/cult leadership, I was thrown out, socially ostracized and even reported to the police – several times. Both me and my family have since been harassed by the cults. Very suspicious behavior from someone who has nothing to hide.

These cults have been trying to make an example of me for daring to stand up and challenge the leadership and calling out inappropriate behavior. They apparently do not like that at all!

You can read the full article exposing these cults here:

They have also engaged in lawfare against myself, trying to silence my work as a journalist because they are afraid that I will expose them and their behavior.

So when this youth pastor got to know that I was writing a follow up article on these cults and how they have been harassing me, he requested that I would be banned from contacting him and banned from asking him journalistic questions.

I have of course engaged a lawyer to stand up for free speech and to defend myself from these lawfare attacks as this recently went to court.

Something unbelievable just happened.

Obviously I should win this case easily as there is absolutely no reason whatsoever that I as a journalist should be banned from asking questions for an article. My lawyer agreed and told me that there was no way that I should lose this case.

But the Norwegian court just ruled that I as a journalist am banned from contacting and asking journalistic questions to this youth pastor for my article.

In other words, this is an attack on freedom of speech and freedom of the press.

What exactly is going on here? Let me tell you!

In the court ruling it says that I sent the youth pastor emails that were ”clearly worthy of criticism” and that I ”in the court explained that he is working on a follow up article, the court therefore finds that there is a real risk that he again will contact [youth pastor] in the same or similar way”.

So the court ruled that I had sent emails to the youth pastor and there was a risk that I would send him more (journalistic) questions as I worked on a follow up article. This the court did not like and therefore banned me from contacting the youth pastor again.

Now what did my emails say that the court found was ”clearly worthy of criticism”?

I will let you see for yourself. Here is the text from the emails I sent the youth pastor in February 2024 translated into English.

”Hi [redacted].

This article was just published https://www.petersweden.org/p/petersweden-got-harassed-by-a-cult

See attached screenshots of what you are following on Instagram.

As a journalist I have some questions as you have a leading role within [redacted] prayer house youth environment.

1. Is is appropriate that a person that has problems with sexual sin has a leading role among youths in a Christian environment?

2. The leadership at [redacted] prayer house had been in contact with [redacted] prayer house and complained that I and my wife were ”obtrusive” and seeked a ”leadership role”. What is the reason for such claims?

3. Were you involved with getting me and my wife thrown out of [redacted] prayer house, why?

4. [Redacted] prayer house was mentioned in a police report that was made by [redacted] prayer house against me, my brother and our father Emanuel. Were you involved in reporting us to the police?

5. Do you have any other comments?

Mvh

Peter Imanuelsen”

That was the first email I sent to the youth pastor. Here is the second one I sent.

”Hi.

I have noticed that after the article was published, your Instagram account was changed to private and many accounts that many would consider contain pornographic content has been unfollowed.

I have some follow up questions.

1. Has there been done any internal investigations in [redacted] prayer house to create a safe and Christian environment for the youth among you?

2. Do you still have a leading role among youths at [redacted] prayer house after this scandal was revealed?

3. Are there more that have come out as whistleblowers among you after this case came out in the light?

4. Have you received professional help from a Christian psychologist/pastor regarding sexual and immoral lusts?

Considering that I have not gotten answers to my previous questions, if I don’t hear from you within the 15/2 then I note that you refuse to come with a comment in this case.

Mvh

Peter Imanuelsen”

These emails were considered to be ”clearly worthy of criticism” according to the court. What do you think?

And I was banned from contacting the youth pastor with further questions, effectively silencing my freedom of speech and putting a muzzle on me as a journalist.

Effectively, the court has tried to stop me from exposing and reporting on inappropriate behavior from pastors within these cults.

This is a grave violation of the freedom of the press – This is lawfare being used against me to silence me.

I can also mention that the judge in this case knew of my brother who has also been involved in being harassed by this youth pastor. My brother played tennis with her in the local tennis club, and he reported one time that friends of the judge complained of my brother that he was ”serving too hard” and they didn’t seem to be very friendly with him. That was weird.

Of course this will be appealed as it is unreal that I as a journalist should be silenced in this way.

But I need your help now to stand up for free speech.

My lawyer is on the case, but he is not cheap, and I NEED your support to cover my lawyer fees.

I am doing this for YOU. I am on the front lines standing up for freedom of speech and I am now under attack for doing so.

Do you like my reporting and want me to be able to continue bringing you the news that is being censored by the mainstream media?

Please become a paid subscriber here on Substack which will go towards covering my lawyer fees in this free speech case.

Or you can give a one time donation on GiveSendGo

https://givesendgo.com/petersweden

Thank you so much.

Your help is needed now more than ever!