Denmark charges 14 over sharing video of student killing in Morocco

Flowers and candles in memory of Louisa Vesterager Jespersen and Maren Ueland are seen at the Town Hall Square in Copenhagen

FILE PHOTO: Flowers and candles in memory of Louisa Vesterager Jespersen and Maren Ueland, who were killed in Morocco during a trekking trip, are seen at the Town Hall Square in Copenhagen, Denmark December 28, 2018. Ritzau Scanpix/Thomas Sjoerup/via REUTERS

FILE PHOTO: Flowers and candles in memory of Louisa Vesterager Jespersen and Maren Ueland, who were killed in Morocco during a trekking trip, are seen at the Town Hall Square in Copenhagen, Denmark December 28, 2018. Ritzau Scanpix/Thomas Sjoerup/via REUTERS

Police in Denmark on Thursday said that 14 people had been charged with sharing a video clip showing the killing of a Danish woman in December while on a visit to Morocco.

Danish national, Louisa Jespersen and Norwegian national, Maren Ueland were found dead on Dec. 17 near the summit of Mount Toubkal in the High Atlas mountain range, with cuts to their necks.

Both women were students at the University of South-Eastern Norway.

Moroccan authorities believe the killings were a terrorist act and have arrested over 20 people in connection with the case.

“Of the 118 reports we received and reviewed, 14 cases have resulted in indictments,” police inspector Michael Kjeldgaard of the East Jutland police that conducted the investigation.

The 14 were charged with violating the criminal code by sharing the video via social media such as Facebook Messenger, he added.

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Twelve people were charged with violating privacy rules under particularly aggravating circumstances, Deputy Attorney, Jakob Nielsen said.

That offence is punishable by a jail sentence of up to three years.

Two others were charged with condoning the killing, which could result in a fine or up to two years in prison.

The 14 were aged between 13 and 69. Two 13-year-olds were likely to face a juvenile delinquency panel.

Police urged people to delete the clip and not to spread it.

In Norway, the criminal police said they have not charged anyone with disseminating the clip but were continuing efforts to limit its dissemination by contacting web sites and internet service providers.

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