How much does an apology cost? The Prime Minister opens the door ajar for compensation
Professor takes note of the Prime Minister's words about possible compensation in the spiral case. This may have implications for other human rights cases between Greenland and Denmark.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen gave an official apology on behalf of Denmark for the third time in six years.
It was given to the Greenlandic girls and women who had IUDs inserted without consent as part of the so-called IUD case.
Compared to the Prime Minister's previous apologies, there is one thing that stands out.
Namely, that Mette Frederiksen (S) says for the first time that the apology will be followed up by a dialogue with the Greenlandic government about possible financial compensation. Not only in relation to the spiral case, but also other cases.
It's startling, says Lisa Storm Villadsen. She is a professor at the Department of Communication at the University of Copenhagen.
- This marks a break with the previous official apologies we have seen in Denmark, which have all focused on saying sorry, and have actually stopped talking about compensation, says Lisa Storm Villadsen.
- A door has been opened for compensation to come as a natural follow-up to the apology, and this is the first time we have seen this in Denmark, the professor tells P1 Morgen.
Three apologies in six years
In August 2019, Prime Minister Mette Frederisen apologized to the Godhavn Boys, who were subjected to a number of abuses, including systematic beatings, slapping, and sexual assaults in the period from 1946 to 1976.
In December 2020, the Prime Minister issued an apology to the Greenlanders who were sent to Denmark in 1951 in an attempt to make them more Danish so that they could return to Greenland as role models. This was marked with two apology ceremonies in Copenhagen and Nuuk in 2022.
In August 2025, Mette Frederiksen apologizes to the Greenlandic women who have been subjected to systematic discrimination in the IUD case, while Denmark was responsible for the healthcare system in Greenland until 1992.
The apology comes at the same time as three cases in which Greenlanders have sued the state for violations of their human rights. For all three cases, a total claim of approximately 47 million in damages is being made.
In this regard, Lisa Storm Villadsen notes that Mette Frederiksen also apologized yesterday for other failures, where Greenlanders have been systematically treated worse than other citizens in the Kingdom.
Although the Prime Minister does not specify which cases this may be, it may have an impact on the two other cases in which Greenlanders have sued the state for violations of their human rights.
- I think it does. I think there is evidence for that when you look at the text, she says in P1.
The courts are waiting
One of the cases currently before the courts concerns the Danish spiral campaign in Greenland.
It was a practice where thousands of IUD insertions took place in Greenland on a Danish initiative, especially in the 1960s and 1970s, to prevent women from becoming pregnant and in an attempt to control population growth, as the DR podcast ' Spiralkampagnen ' revealed in 2022.
In several cases, it happened without the consent of the girls and women affected, and this has led 143 women to sue the state for violating their human rights.
In addition, the courts will hear a case in which 26 Greenlanders believe that the state has discriminated against them in a matter of the right to legal paternity. A right that was introduced much later in Greenland than in Denmark and meant that children in Greenland grew up without rights to their father's surname or inheritance rights.
Pramming Advokater is leading the two cases on behalf of the women from the spiral case and the legally fatherless.
Here, they are currently preparing a third case for the courts regarding legally questionable adoptions from Greenland to Denmark, explains lawyer Mads Pramming.
Understand the issues here:
Like Lisa Storm Villadsen, he also takes note of the Prime Minister's statements regarding possible compensation. Not only in the spiral case, but also in other cases.
- Now she related to the spiral campaign, and we know something about it, but what about the other cases?
- In any case, you will not be able to solve the problems that exist in the relationship between Denmark and Greenland because of these human rights cases from the past if you only look at the spiral case, says Mads Pramming.
Lawyer Mads Pramming is leading three cases against the state for violations of human rights. These are the spiral case, the legally fatherless and adoptions on legally dubious grounds. (Photo: © Søren Bidstrup, Ritzau Scanpix)
First court hearing in six months
Therefore, he hopes that the state will look at the cases of the legally fatherless and the case of adoptions on a legally dubious basis outside the courts.
In the case of the legally fatherless, the first court hearing is expected in about six months, but it is a case that can drag on, explains Mads Pramming.
- My clients need, while they are alive, to receive recognition from the Danish state that what happened was wrong and to receive compensation. I hope that this will be resolved in the same way, and as quickly as possible and without going through the court system, he says.
Mette Frederiksen pointed out on Wednesday that one has to wait for the historical investigation of the relationship between Denmark and Greenland before she will specifically address cases other than the spiral case.
Here you can hear Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (S) refer to the historical investigation.
However, the historical investigation has been delayed and was criticized before the summer holidays for not having gotten off the ground at all. Therefore, it could potentially be a long time before anything happens in the other cases.
Read also : The dark chapters of the past should come to light - but after three years, Greenland has not started
- I am neither pessimistic nor optimistic about this, but I may see that in the future there could be more opportunities in the other cases as well, says Mads Pramming.