mistenkt

Mistenkt is a Norwegian term used as both an adjective and a noun to describe a person who is under suspicion of having committed a crime. It is commonly used in police reports, court documents, and media to indicate an early stage of an investigation. Being mistenkt does not mean guilt; it signals that authorities have reasonable grounds to consider the person a possible offender.

In the Norwegian legal framework, a person who is mistenkt is protected by the presumption of innocence. During the investigation, the suspected person may be interviewed, questioned, and subjected to investigative measures such as evidence collection. The rights of the mistenkt typically include access to legal counsel and the right not to incriminate oneself. The status can change as the investigation progresses; when the state formally charges someone, the status may shift to siktet or tiltalt, depending on the stage of proceedings.

Outside formal proceedings, the term is also used more loosely in everyday language to describe someone thought to be involved in wrongdoing.

The word derives from mistanke (suspicion) and is widely used in Norwegian-speaking contexts. It functions similarly in other Nordic languages and is distinct from actual guilt or conviction.