Arfan Qadeer Bhatti granted leave to compete in prison chess world championship

The Borgarting lagmannsrett has permitted Arfan Qadeer Bhatti, a 49-year-old inmate serving a 30-year term for participation in the June 2022 Oslo terror attack, to be absent from his ongoing appeal to compete in the prison chess world championship. Bhatti, who was convicted alongside Zaniar Matapour, will join a Norwegian squad comprising players from Ullersmo and Froland prisons. The tournament, run by the Fédération Internationale des Échecs, will be held digitally, with Bhatti playing from Ullersmo.

His participation follows a second-place finish in the national prison chess contest, which secured his nomination. Defense lawyers argue the competition offers a constructive activity that aids rehabilitation, while Bhatti remains under strict communication restrictions. The event follows the 2024 edition, which featured 116 teams from 51 nations and was won by the United Arab Emirates.