Denmark considers allowing life imprisonment for minors aged 15 and over

A poster of Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen posted on a bus in Copenhagen, Denmark. On March 23, 2026. © Sergei Grits / AP The far-right Danish People’s Party presented a proposal to change the Criminal Code and allow 15-year-olds to be sentenced to life imprisonment or indefinite detention in cases of homicide and crimes considered extremely serious. The initiative reignited the debate on juvenile criminal responsibility in the country. The party, known for defending stricter policies in the areas of security and immigration, wants to equate young people aged 15 to 17 with adults in certain criminal situations. Currently, minors under 18 cannot receive life imprisonment in Denmark. For this age group, the maximum penalty applied is around 12 years in prison. Denmark already provides for life imprisonment for adults convicted of serious crimes, although the legislation allows for a later review of the sentence. “If you are old enough to commit this type of crime, you are also old enough to be tried by the criminal justice system,” said Anders Vistisen, MEP for the Danish People’s Party, in an interview with public broadcaster DR. Hjallerup case The proposal gained strength after the recent decision of the Supreme Court of Denmark in a case that generated strong national repercussions. Judges upheld a 12-year prison sentence for a 17-year-old convicted of raping and killing a 13-year-old girl in Hjallerup, in the north of the country. The case was back in the news this month, when the victim’s parents spoke publicly for the first time. In an interview with a Danish TV station, the girl’s mother stated that “not a day goes by without us thinking about her”, when reporting the permanent impact of the tragedy on the family. In the decision, the Court highlighted that the convict was a minor at the time of the crime and had no criminal record. The Medical-Legal Council had already assessed that the young man represented a risk to other people and defended an indeterminate sentence. “I am ready to let the courts judge according to the same rules for people over 18,” declared Anders Vistisen when defending the change in legislation. Trending videos on g1 Serious crimes are rare With around six million inhabitants, Denmark records, according to Rigsrevisionen (state auditing body), approximately 6 thousand children and adolescents between 10 and 17 years old involved in criminal statistics per year. Only a small proportion end up receiving a prison sentence, which indicates that crimes of extreme violence committed by minors remain relatively rare in Denmark. Specialists in social reintegration argue that adolescents should receive different treatment than adults, with a focus on recovery and prevention of recidivism. Proposal processing In Denmark, a simple majority in Parliament is required for a law to be approved. If all 179 deputies participate in the vote, at least 90 favorable votes are required in the Folketing, the national Parliament. The Danish People’s Party does not have enough strength to approve the change alone and would depend on the support of other parties, especially the right-wing bloc. The debate places the balance between public safety, punishment and juvenile rehabilitation at the center of Danish politics.

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