Human rights defenders in Sweden are experiencing a slow, gradual erosion of their human rights, a UN expert* warned today.
– I am alarmed about reports of threats, hate speech, stigmatisation and harassment of human rights defenders, and about the growing restrictions to their rights to freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly and association, said Mary Lawlor, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders.
In recent years, the situation of human rights defenders in Sweden has reportedly deteriorated. They have been silenced, threatened or stigmatised as a result of their advocacy work or for reporting on human rights. Civil society organisations have been facing increasing bureaucratic demands, while funding for human rights activities has decreased.
Environmental rights defenders and climate activists engaging in protests and acts of civil disobedience are reportedly at heightened risk of prosecution and have often been labelled as ‘potential terrorists’ or ‘criminals.’ In addition, student activists and journalists who spoke out for or tried to report on the rights of the Palestinian people were allegedly stopped or intimidated. Advocating for the rights of LGBTI+ people or persons with disabilities is also reportedly becoming more difficult.
Not too late to reverse the trends
The Special Rapporteur expressed concern about the rise in negative narratives around ethnic or religious minority groups and the negative impact it had on defenders of minority rights.
– They are often stigmatised and lack the necessary resources to do their work, while feeling excluded and not listened to, Lawlor said.
– Human rights defenders in Sweden do not receive as much support as before, she said. They should be enabled to freely exercise their human rights and advocate for the rights of others without obstacles or fear of retaliation.
The Special Rapporteur urged the Government to counter smear campaigns and stigmatisation of human rights defenders, allocate adequate funding for their activities, and meaningfully include them in decision-making processes.
“It is not too late to reverse these trends,” Lawlor said. “Sweden has a responsibility to create the necessary conditions for human rights defenders to enjoy their rights and conduct their legitimate work.”
The Special Rapporteur is in contact with the Government of Sweden on these issues.
*The expert:
Endorsed by:
Special Rapporteurs/Independent Experts/Working Groups are independent human rights experts appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council. Together, these experts are referred to as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. While the UN Human Rights office acts as the secretariat for Special Procedures, the experts serve in their individual capacity and are independent from any government or organization, including OHCHR and the UN. Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the UN or OHCHR.
Country-specific observations and recommendations by the UN human rights mechanisms, including the special procedures, the treaty bodies and the Universal Periodic Review, can be found on the Universal Human Rights Index https://uhri.ohchr.org/en/.
UN Human Rights, country page – Sweden.