Oslo court orders release of Marius Borg Høiby from pretrial detention

An Oslo district court ruled Monday to release Marius Borg Høiby from pretrial detention, though prosecutors immediately appealed the decision, blocking his release for now.

In its ruling, the court acknowledged that while there remains “probable cause” to suspect Høiby of serious offenses—which he has not contested—certain factors now suggest a “somewhat reduced risk of reoffending.” Judge Bård Skeie Hagen noted in the written decision that Høiby has abstained from substance use during his incarceration, despite a history of harmful drug use.

“The court finds reason to believe that, given his current situation, he now faces a higher threshold for relapse into substance abuse,” the ruling stated. It further cited Høiby’s mother, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, being critically ill and awaiting a lung transplant as a factor in assessing his risk of reoffending. “After hearing Høiby’s testimony, the court believes he has a strong desire to do what he can to be with his mother, which requires that he refrain from committing new offenses—a condition he accepts,” the judge wrote.

Høiby, 29, appeared in Courtroom 828 of Oslo District Court on Monday afternoon after his legal team filed an emergency motion for release on Friday, arguing that his mother’s deteriorating health constituted exceptional circumstances. Prosecutors opposed the motion, prompting Monday’s hearing.

During testimony, Høiby denied any intention of violating a restraining order against his ex-girlfriend, the so-called “Frogner woman,” if released. “In the situation I’m in now, that’s the last thing on my mind,” he told the court. “If I were released, I wouldn’t put my family through the risk of me being incarcerated again. There’s nothing left between us. That chapter is closed.”

He added that, if freed, he would move into a room at the royal estate Skaugum, adjacent to his sister Princess Ingrid Alexandra, and commit to abstaining from drugs. When asked by his defense attorney, Petar Sekulic, about the consequences of contacting his ex-girlfriend, Høiby replied, “That’s so far out of the question. It would never happen.”

Crown Princess Mette-Marit, who revealed in 2018 that she suffers from pulmonary fibrosis, was placed on the lung transplant waiting list on Friday. Medical officials described her condition as “serious.” Høiby testified that he had attended a briefing with doctors at Skaugum earlier Monday, arranged by the Norwegian Correctional Service, alongside his family.

“Being together as a family in a time like this is incredibly important—not just for my mother, but for all of us,” he said. “It’s unbearable to be in Oslo Prison knowing she’s this ill. Every Sunday visit could be the last time I see her. The transplant carries major risks, and I don’t know when—or if—a donor will be found.”

Høiby’s defense argued that continued detention constituted a “disproportionate intervention” given the circumstances. Prosecutors, however, maintained that the risk of reoffending persisted, and their appeal to the Court of Appeal ensures Høiby remains in custody pending further review.