A 64-year-old man from Odense was released after a custody hearing over death threats against Barbara Bertelsen, the permanent secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office. One of the threats arrived by email to Dansk Folkeparti leader Morten Messerschmidt, who says he answered it without reading it to the end.
The man was brought before the Court in Odense on Wednesday, Avisen Danmark reports. He is charged with sending two death threats against Bertelsen, the top civil servant at Statsministeriet. One of the threats was sent by email directly to Messerschmidt on August 6, 2026.
In the email, the man wrote that he would murder Barbara Bertelsen. The message also praised Messerschmidt’s performance in a debate. His reply to the sender was read out during the hearing, which under Danish law decides whether a suspect is remanded in custody.
Messerschmidt thanked the sender for the kind words and wrote that they gave him energy to continue the fight. He told Avisen Danmark on Saturday that he was shocked when the newspaper showed him the full email. He said he had not read the message all the way through.
Reply sent after a TV debate
Messerschmidt said he had just taken part in a television debate. Afterwards, he answered a batch of messages from viewers, reading only the opening lines of each. He said the episode annoys him greatly.
He said he reports every threat against himself, his family, or others to PET. Had he read the bottom of this email, he would also have contacted the intelligence service, per Avisen Danmark. He added that he would never begin a correspondence with someone making threats.
After being made aware of the full content, Messerschmidt wrote a letter to Bertelsen expressing sympathy. He said he receives threats himself on a regular basis, which is why the case affects him.
DR reports that the man was released after the hearing and remains charged in the case. According to DR, the prosecutor said he had also threatened to use violence against Bertelsen over a period of time.
Fyens Stiftstidende also reported the release and described the wording of the threat against Bertelsen in the email. The man admitted sending the death threats, according to Avisen Danmark.
The judge found no grounds for remanding him in custody. The prosecution appealed that ruling to the High Court, as reported by both Avisen Danmark and DR.
