Aslak Sira Myhre

Aslak Sira Myhre (born 28 May 1973 in Stavanger) is a Norwegian politician and former party leader of Red Electoral Alliance (RV). He currently is director of Litteraturhuset, part of Fritt Ord.

Myhre's parents were both active on the political left and his father Eldar Myhre is a known trade union chairman at Aker Kværner. Aslak was very active in student demonstrations at the University of Bergen during the 1990s and sat on the university board in 1996. [cite news |first=Øyvind Lefdal |last=Eidsvik |title=Utstudert: Knut Arild Hareide |url=http://www.studvest.no/kultur.php?art_id=2064 |work=Studvest |date=9 February 2005 |accessdate=2007-11-28 |language=Norwegian ] He was the party leader of Red Electoral Alliance between 1997 and 2003, and sat in the city council in his home city Stavanger between 1999 and 2003. He was the top candidate for Storting for Rogaland in the 1997 election and Oslo in the 2001 election, but his party failed to win any seats.

Leaving national politics, he became an executive of !Les, an association to stimulate children and youth to read more. Myhre has also worked as a football journalist for both the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation and "Klassekampen"

He is married to editor Cathrine Sandnes.

Controversy

He was in 2002 convicted to 90 days in prison for failing to report for national military service. On appeal in 2003 his sentence was made suspended on probation. [cite news |author= |title=Sira Myhre slipper fengsel |url=http://www.nrk.no/nyheter/1.509363 |work=Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation |language=Norwegian |date=22 April 2003 |accessdate=2008-09-27 ] His case was controversial since Myhre had only political objection to serve national service due to Norwegian participation in NATO's out of area involvement and his refusal to classify himself as having objections to serve military national service. Based on either religious, moral or ethical dictates of his conscience that are incompatible with being a combatant in military service, or being part of the armed forces as a combatant organization. Which is legal requirement for being granted civilian national service under Norwegian National Service law's.

References