Mass murderer Anders Breivik loses human rights case against Norway

Mass murderer Anders Breivik has lost a human rights court case against Norway over his treatment in prison.

The appeals court overturned a 2016 verdict which had found that keeping the 38-year-old killer in isolated conditions amounted to "inhuman and degrading treatment" under the European Convention on Human Rights.

Breivik is serving 21 years for killing 77 people in a bomb attack in Oslo and shooting spree at a Labour Youth camp on the island of Utoya in 2011 which was motivated by his extremist neo-Nazi views.

Previous court documents indicated he was confined to three rooms inside a high-security facility where he had access to a television and game console and could also make himself food.

The appeals court today ruled the strict conditions including keeping Breivik away from other prison inmates were justified as he was unrepentant and posed a threat of violence.

There was also a risk that other prisoners might attack Breivik if he was allowed to mix with them, the verdict added.

Breivik's lawyer Oeystein Storrvik expressed surprise at the verdict and said he would appeal to Norway's Supreme Court. If that fails, he can appeal to the European Court of Human Rights.

Breivik has also previously alleged that his private and family life were violated by the state - but those claims were struck down at the lower court last year.

It heard that he was allowed visits from family and friends but the only person who had come was his mother, who has since died of cancer.