Sweden
Sweden does not collect data on the ethnic composition of the population other than citizenship and country of birth. The main rule according to the Swedish Personal Data Act (1998:204) states that ’[...] the maintenance of personal data that reveals race or ethnic origin is prohibited’. In the opinions delivered by International monitoring bodies, such as the Advisory Committee established under the Council of Europe’s Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCNM) and the UN Committee which monitors the Convention on the Elimination of Race Discrimination (CERD), the lack of data was critiqued as contributing to the complication of the formulation, implementation, evaluation and improvement of minority and migrant policies.
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Racist violence - Hate Speech Statistics
The Swedish National Council on Crime prevention collects the official statistics on hate crimes in Sweden. In 2010, it was reported that nearly 5,800 hate crimes were reported to the police. The majority of these, more than 3,800 cases, are xenophobic/ racial hate crimes. Of these, 20 % (818 cases) were reported to be Afrophobic hate crimes. There were 161 reports of anti-Semitic hate crimes, 272 reports of Islamophobic hate crimes and 150 Anti-Roma hate crimes in 2010.
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Overall numbers of racist & hate crime
Yes.
Qualitative Info
The Swedish National Council on Crime prevention (Brottsförebygganderådet, Brå) is a Government agency assigned to collect the official statistics on hate crimes in Sweden. These reports are primarily a statistical summary of the hate crimes reported to the police. The last published annual report on hate crimes in Sweden in 2010 (Hatbrott 2010:12). The report noted that nearly 5,800 hate crime cases were reported to the police. The majority of them, i.e. more than 3,800 cases, were identified as xenophobic/ racial hate crimes. Of those racial hate crimes reported, 818 or 20 % were identified as Afrophobic, meaning that Afro-Swedes are among the most vulnerable groups of racial hate crimes in Sweden. There were 161 reports of anti-Semitic hate crimes, 272 reports of Islamophobic hate crimes and 150 Anti-Roma hate crimes in 2010. Unlawful threats / harassment was the most common xenophobic / racist hate crime (40 percent) in 2010.
About 97% of all victims of xenophobic/racist hate crimes belong to minority groups. The absolute majority of perpetrators of xenophobic/racist hate crimes belong to the majority group (77 %). Only 20% of the perpetrators were other minority groups. Xenophobic/ racist hate crimes (4 %) against the majority group, or against people with a Swedish background were the lowest in numbers.The National Council on Crime Prevention reported in 2010 that the most common forms of xenophobic or racist motivated hate crimes in 2010 are violent crimes, unlawful discrimination, hate speech, damage to property such as vandalism/graffiti, unlawful threats, harassment and defamation targeted at individuals and groups.
Source: The Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention, http://www.bra.se/extra/news/?module_instance=3&id=310 assessed 10 July 2010.
Groups affected/interested
- Migrants
- Refugees
- Roma & Travelers
- Muslims
- Ethnic minorities
- Religious minorities
- Asylum seekers
- Africans/black people
- National minorities
Type (R/D)
- Anti-migrant/xenophobia
- Anti-semitism
- Islamophobia
- Afrophobia
- Anti-roma/zinghanophobia
Key socio-economic / Institutional Areas
- Anti-discrimination
- Anti-racism
External Url www.bra.se
See other countriesSee indicator history -
Deaths/killings
No. There are no statistics available on deaths/killings in relation to racist violence-Hate speech
Qualitative Info
No. There are no statistics available on deaths/killings in relation to racist violence-Hate speech. -
Court cases on racist - hate crime
According to the Criminal Law, the Chancellor of Justice (Justitieombudsmannen, JK), received 140 reports of incitement to racial hatred in 2010 and decided to initiate investigations on five cases.
Qualitative Info
The Chancellor of Justice (Justitieombudsmannen, JK), received 140 reports of incitement to racial hatred and decided to initiate investigations on five cases compared to seven in 2009. This means that 135 cases involving complaints of hate speech were closed without an investigation. The Chancellor of Justice explains that the complaints have not been considered criminal or that the Chancellor has not been authorized to prosecute since the hate speeches have been expressed in a medium that is not covered by the Freedom of the Press or the Freedom of Expression Act.
Source:
Groups affected/interested
- Migrants
- Roma & Travelers
- Muslims
- Ethnic minorities
- Religious minorities
- Africans/black people
- National minorities
Type (R/D)
- Extremism - organised Racist Violence
- Anti-migrant/xenophobia
- Anti-semitism
- Islamophobia
- Afrophobia
- Religious intolerance
- Nationalism
- Anti-roma/ romaphobia
- Xenophobia
Key socio-economic / Institutional Areas
- Anti-discrimination
- Anti-racism
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Overall numbers of racist & hate crime
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Discrimination Statistics
The majority of the complaints reported to the Equality Ombudsman in 2010 were 992 complaints of which 289 concerned ethnic discrimination. The Equality Ombudsman showed in a recent study that 20 % of all complaints on housing came from Roma, indicating that Roma are highly deprived of their rights to adequate housing. The majority of the complaints reported to the Equality Ombudsman in 2010 were in the area of employment. In 2010, a total of 992 complaints of discrimination in employment were made to the Equality Ombudsman, 289 of which concerned ethnic discrimination.
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Complaints regarding ethnic discrimination received by Equality Body/Agency/Court
In 2010, a total of 992 complaints were received.
Qualitative Info
The majority of the complaints reported to the Equality Ombudsman in 2010 were in the area of employment. In 2010, a total of 992 complaints of discrimination in employment were made to the Equality Ombudsman, 289 of which concerned ethnic discrimination. As for the recruitment, the Equality Ombudsman received 202 complaints and for cases of on-going employment, 376 complaints. The most common cases were harassment in the workplace, wage and labour management (The Equality Ombudsman, Årsredovisning, p. 24, http://www.do.se/Documents/Material/%C3%85rsredovisningar/arsredovisningdo2010.pdf.) Accessed 2012-03-10).
2008
2009
Ethnic discrimination that ended up before Courts
· 4 court cases concerning Roma, two shops, restaurant and hotel.
· 1 case in the court of appeal
· 1 case in the Supreme court, won.
· District court, Roma woman[1]
· 5 court cases concerning housing
Housing: 1 court case
won and 1 court case
lost, appealed to the
Court of Appeal
Health: 2 Court cases
won.
Ethnic discrimination that ended up before Courts and led to a sanction
3 court cases won
Ethnic discrimination that ended up before Courts and led to a compensation
· Supreme Court, compensation 5000 SEK (500 Euros).[4]
· Court of appeal, compensation 25 000 SEK (2500 Euros).[5]
· District court, compensation 40 000 SEK (400 Euros).[6]
· Lidköping District court, compensation 50 000 SEK (5000 Euros). [7]
· Svea District court, compensation 50 000 SEK (5000 Euros).[8]
[1] (dnr 244-2006)
[2] dnr 1209-2005).
[3] dnr 331-2006).
[4] HD:s dom nr T 2224-07, DO:s dnr 1072-2004
[5] Svea Hovrätts mål nr T 9702/06, DO:s dnr 483-2004
[6] Göteborgs tingsrätts mål nr T 13077-05, DO:s dnr 1108-2004
[7] dnr 1209-2005
[8] Svea Hovrätts mål nr T 9702-6, DO:s dnr 483-2004).
The Equality Ombudsman, Årsredovisning, p. 24, http://www.do.se/Documents/Material/%C3%85rsredovisningar/arsredovisningdo2010.pdf.
Groups affected/interested
- Migrants
- Refugees
- Roma & Travelers
- Muslims
- Ethnic minorities
- Religious minorities
- Asylum seekers
- Africans/black people
- National minorities
Type (R/D)
- Anti-migrant/xenophobia
- Anti-semitism
- Islamophobia
- Afrophobia
- Arabophobia
- Anti-roma/zinghanophobia
- Anti-roma/ romaphobia
- Xenophobia
Key socio-economic / Institutional Areas
- Anti-discrimination
- Anti-racism
External Url http://www.do.se/Documents/Material/%C3%85rsredovisningar/arsredovisningdo2010.pdf, www.do.se
See other countriesSee indicator history -
Number of cases where ethnic discrimination was found/established by Equality Body/Agency/Court
The number of cases where ethnic discrimination was found/established by the Equality Ombudsman was 584 cases in 2010.
Numbers of cases 584Qualitative Info
Table
Type of sector- Ethnic discrimination 2010
Type of sector
Ethnic discrimination
Employment agency
3
Employment
199
Not legally protcted
40
Health care
19
Membership
4
Parental Leave Act
1
Business/Profession
3
Public Procurement
34
Social security
20
Social services
33
Education
74
Housing
154
Military service
0
Total
584
Source: The Equality Ombudsman, http://www.do.se
Groups affected/interested
- Migrants
- Roma & Travelers
- Muslims
- Ethnic minorities
- Religious minorities
- Asylum seekers
- Africans/black people
- National minorities
Key socio-economic / Institutional Areas
- Anti-discrimination
- Anti-racism
External Url www.do.se
See other countriesSee indicator history -
Cases solved / corrected / settled
In 2010, the Equality Ombudsman (DO) reached 38 settlements and took 11 cases to court.
Exemplary cases Roma woma refused to rent an apartment, Muslim man refused to shake handsQualitative Info
In 2010, the Equality Ombudsman (DO) brought an action in court in 19 cases.
Furthermore, DO reached 38 settlements compared with 36 settlements lin 2009.
DO won a case in the Labour Court ( AD ) and five cases in a public court. DO has thus been successful in six cases of the eleven that were settled in court. The corresponding results for 2009 were three cases out of twelve.
Examplary cases during 2010 are as follows:
A woman was refused the opportunity to rent an apartment because her husband was Roma. The Equality Ombudsman and the landlord reached an agreement whereby the woman received 40 000 SEK in compensation. The woman was at the showing of an apartment with a management company in Finspång and signed a contract the next day. Neighbours had threatened to move because there had been problems with Roma in the area, according to the landlord. The Equality Ombudsman (DO) investigated the case and determined that the woman was the victim of ethnic discrimination. The parties reached a settlement that rewarded the woman 40 000 SEK (4 486 Euros). [1]
A ruling from the Stockholm District Court 8 February 2010, stated that it was discrimination when the employment services of Älmhult decided to suspend a Muslim man from his economical benefits. The man refused to shake hands with a female boss of the company during an interview for internship. The Equality Ombudsman sued the Employment Service for discrimination on the ground of religion. The Equality Ombudsman stated that “Sweden is a multicultural country and we have to be able to see that there are different ways to show each other respect other than shaking hands”.
The Stockholm District Court ruled that the Swedish Employment Office had to pay 60 000 SEK (6 729 Euros) in damages to the man.[2]
In July 2010, the Equality Ombudsman and a motel reached a settlement that awarded a woman 50 000 SEK (5 607 Euros). The woman was harassed during the job interview and was denied the job because she is married to a man from Iraq.[3]
[1] Case number 2008/551, http://www.do.se/sv/Om-DO/Stamningar-och-forlikningar/Forlikning-hyresvard-i-Finspang/
(accessed 2012-03-12).
[2] Case number: Omed 2006/761, http://www.do.se/sv/Om-DO/Stamningar-och-forlikningar/Tingsrattsdom-Arbetsformedlingen/
[3] Case number: ANM 2009/1300, http://www.do.se/sv/Om-DO/Stamningar-och-forlikningar/Stamning-motell-i-Linkoping/ (accessed 2012-03-12).
The Equality Ombudsman, Årsredovisning 2010 (Annual Report, 2010), http://www.do.se/sv/Material/Arsredovisning-2010/ (accessed 2012-03-12).
Groups affected/interested
- Roma & Travelers
- Ethnic minorities
- Religious minorities
- Asylum seekers
- Africans/black people
Type (R/D)
- Anti-migrant/xenophobia
- Islamophobia
- Afrophobia
- Religious intolerance
- Anti-roma/ romaphobia
Key socio-economic / Institutional Areas
- Anti-discrimination
- Anti-racism
External Url www.do.se
See other countriesSee indicator history -
Sanctions imposed / compensations / awards attributed-received
Although there is a deviation between earlier legal practices in combination with a lack of new practice, the Equality Ombudsman has reached settlements where up to 100 000 Euros have been awarded in compensation which is a higher level than previously.
Qualitative Info
Although there is little guidance provided from legislation regarding the amount of compensation, the Equality Ombudsman has been effective in reaching settlements by claiming compensation using the new law. The amount has been between 75 000 SEK (7500 Euros) and 300 000 SEK (30 000 Euros). This can be compared to the labor courts practice in similar cases where the range of compensation has been between 30 000 SEK (3000 Euros) and 50 000 SEK (5000 Euros). Although there is a deviation between earlier legal practices in combination with a lack of new practice, the Equality Ombudsman has reached settlements where up to 100 000 Euros have been awarded in compensation which is a higher level than previously.
Source: The Equality ombudsman, http://www.do.se
Groups affected/interested
- Migrants
Key socio-economic / Institutional Areas
- Anti-discrimination
- Anti-racism
External Url http://www.do.se
See other countriesSee indicator history -
ECtHR cases - decisions art.14 etc.
There were no ECtHR cases - decisions based on art. 14 in 2011.
Numbers of cases 0Key socio-economic / Institutional Areas
- Anti-discrimination
External Url http://www.echr.coe.int/NR/rdonlyres/596C7B5C-3FFB-4874-85D8-F12E8F67C136/0/TABLEAU_VIOLATIONS_EN_2011.pdf
See other countriesSee indicator history -
Cases - investigations before other EU and international bodies (European Committee for Social Rights - UN HRC - CAT etc.)
In 2011, the Committe for Social Rights, concluded that the situation in Sweden was not in conformity with several articles in the European Social Charter.
Qualitative Info
Sweden was found to be in non-conformity with the European Social Charter regarding:
Article 19 - Right of migrant workers and their families to protection and assistance. Paragraph 8 - Guarantees concerning deportation. The Committee concludes that the situation in Sweden was not in conformity with the Article 19§8 of the Charter during the reference period on the ground that migrant workers expelled on account of national security have no right of appeal to an independent body.
Article 19 - Right of migrant workers and their families to protection and assistance
Paragraph 10 - Equal treatment for the self-employed
Article 17 - Right of children and young persons to social, legal and economic protection
Paragraph 2 - Free primary and secondary education - regular attendance at school
The Committee concludes that the situation in Sweden is not in conformity with Article 17§2 of the Charter on the ground that children unlawfully present in the territory do not have effective access to education.
Article 7 - Right of children and young persons to protection
Paragraph 9 - Regular medical examination
The Committee concludes that the situation in Sweden is not in conformity with Article 7§9 of the Charter on the ground that a regular medical examination for all young workers is not guaranteed by legislation.
Source: Council of Europe, The European Social Charter, http://www.coe.int/T/DGHL/Monitoring/SocialCharter/ (accessed 2012-03-12).
Groups affected/interested
- Migrants
Key socio-economic / Institutional Areas
- Anti-discrimination
- Anti-racism
External Url http://www.coe.int/T/DGHL/Monitoring/SocialCharter/
See other countriesSee indicator history -
Decisions-Infringment procedures initiated before the European Court of Justice
4 cases from the European Court of Justice dealing with issues of migration, ethnic and/or religious discrimination have been reported from 2007 to 2011.
Qualitative Info
The following are cases from the European Court of Justice dealing with issues of migration, ethnic and/or religious discrimination.
Halilova Others v. Sweden
(Application No. 20 283/09, decision of 13 October 2009)
Expulsion of a woman and two of her children, but not the son who was born in Sweden or the father of the child, both of whom are Swedish citizens, would cause a disruption of the family. The Court decided to hold proceedings in those parts that related to splitting the family and declared the remaining parts of the complaint were declared inadmissible.Limoni Others v. Sweden
(Application No. 6576/05, Decision on 4 October 2007)
The Court ruled that the Sweden's expulsion of Roma who came originally from a village in Kosovo back to Serbia was not considered contrary to Article 3 and the complaint was therefore declared inadmissible.
Grigorian Others v. Sweden, Decision 2007-07-05
The rejection of a family that had been established in Sweden, but without a residence permit would not violate Article 8 and the complaint was declared inadmissible.
Akhmadov and Bagurova v. Sweden, Decision 2007-07-10
The conslusion from the court was that the parties failed to prove a real risk of treatment contrary to Article 3 if they were rejected back to their home country. The complaint was therefore explained inadmissible.
Source: The Swedish Courts (Sveriges Domstolar) http://www.domstol.se/ (accessed 2012-03-12).
Groups affected/interested
- Migrants
Key socio-economic / Institutional Areas
- Anti-discrimination
- Anti-racism
External Url http://www.domstol.se/
See other countriesSee indicator history
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Complaints regarding ethnic discrimination received by Equality Body/Agency/Court