Legislative proposals imposed disproportionate restrictions on freedom of peaceful assembly. International bodies criticized the inadequate protection of Indigenous Peoples’ rights. The government continued to introduce criminal justice measures that risked systemic racial discrimination. A government proposal would require civil servants to report anyone without legal residency, including children. A new gender recognition act fell short on self-determination. Concerns persisted over effective access to justice for victims and survivors of rape.
Freedom of expression and assembly
Proposed amendments to the Public Order Act risked disproportionately restricting freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly. They included greater powers for the police to cancel planned demonstrations in advance and control the manner and content of demonstrations if deemed threatening to national security.
People demonstrating in solidarity with Palestinians faced harassment, violence and prosecution. Climate activists continued to face repression for carrying out acts of civil disobedience.
Indigenous Peoples’ rights
In February and March respectively, the Council of Europe and the UN’s Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) criticized Sweden’s inadequate protection of the rights of the Sámi People. The National Council for Crime Prevention noted that hate crimes against the Sámi occurred in a range of contexts, including through the killing of reindeer.
The Supreme Administrative Court ruled that the government’s decision to grant a mining concession for the extraction of iron ore in Gállok in 2022 did not contravene Swedish law, despite earlier heavy criticism from the UN Special Rapporteurs on the rights of Indigenous Peoples and on the human right to a healthy environment, and CERD.
Discrimination
Despite criticism from the CESCR, the government continued to introduce measures that risked racially discriminatory policing and systemic racial discrimination, including legislation adopted in April on so-called “security zones”. The UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief strongly recommended that Sweden confront discriminatory anti-migrant and racist rhetoric that was marring politics and the media.
An investigation into risk-profiling in the automated state welfare system found discriminatory practices.1
Refugees’ and migrants’ rights
There were concerns that several legislative proposals initiated by the government with the aim of reducing the rights of asylum seekers, refugees and migrants would result in breaches of multiple human rights, including non-discrimination, the right to a fair and secure asylum procedure and the right to family reunification.
LGBTI people’s rights
A gender recognition act, passed in April and entering into force in 2025, fell short of allowing legal gender recognition based on self-determination. Although the approval of the National Board of Health and Welfare is no longer needed to access gender-affirming genital surgery, a medical certificate is still required to legally change gender.
Sexual and gender-based violence
Concerns persisted over effective access to justice for victims and survivors of rape, who also continued to face difficulties in accessing psychological counselling, trauma care and social support.
