Danish high court reduces detention for convicted rapist

The Western High Court of Denmark has overturned a previous ruling that ordered the indefinite detention of 43-year-old Wasim Essam Hajress. Hajress, a stateless Palestinian born in Lebanon, was previously deemed too dangerous to release by the Court of Viborg due to a history of five rape convictions in Denmark dating back to 2003.

While the district court had ordered indefinite detention—a measure typically reserved for individuals considered a severe threat to society—the high court reached a unanimous decision to replace this with a fixed prison sentence of two and a half years. Special Prosecutor Malene Christensen stated that the high court found no legal basis for indefinite detention in this case.

Hajress remains subject to an expulsion order and a lifelong ban on entering Denmark.