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Should the Norway gunman's court appearance be open to the media?

UPDATE: July 25: Judge Kim Heger made the decision Monday morning to close the hearing to the public on a request from police.

Originally posted July 24:

Some Norwegians are calling on the judge in the case of accused gunman Anders Behring Breivik to close the doors to the courtroom and ban TV cameras so Breivik will not have a global stage to express his views.

A Facebook event called Shut the Courtroom Doors on Monday has nearly 40,000 agreeing that the court should be closed.

"He has written in his 'manifesto' that he will use the courtroom as a propaganda tool. Do not allow this murderer a world stage to stand on," reads the event description.

"The right for this murderer to speak in his defence is fully protected under the law ... but in solidarity with those families directly affected, and Norway as a nation in mourning, there is no reason to allow him to speak to the world unedited," it says. The page was created by Anne Sofie Lid Bergvall and Camilla Kitty Karlsen.

Oslo police have said that it's up to the judge whether Monday's imprisonment meeting will be open to the media or not. Breivik will not have a say in the matter, they said.

Should Breivik's court appearance Monday be open to the media? Should TV cameras be allowed? Let us know what you think.



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