
Sweden - January 2023
Far-right politician burns Quran
Rasmus Paludan, leader of the Danish far-right Stram Kurs (Hard Line) party, burned a copy of the Quran at a protest outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm. Paludan is a citizen of both Sweden and Denmark. The Swedish Security Service has warned that Sweden may be vulnerable to increased security threats in response to the Quran burning. Paludan had earlier organized Quran-burning provocations in 2022, sparking riots, as well as protests by the Swedish Muslim community.
Sources: The Local Sweden, Dagens Nyheter, The Local Denmark
Update: The Malmö district court convicted Rasmus Paludan of incitement against an ethnic group and sentenced him to four months in prison for burning the Quran and for controversial statements. The prosecutor in the case described the ruling as the first instance of this conviction being applied in the political context of a permitted protest in Sweden. Paludan has said he will appeal the decision.
Sources: The Guardian, SVT
Anti-terrorism amendment enters into force
A constitutional amendment entered into force, geared towards restricting freedom of association for groups deemed to be engaging in terrorism. The Swedish Ministry of Justice has said that the amendments will pave the way for further anti-terror legislation, including towards a broader criminalization of participation in a terrorist organization. Analysts have argued that potential risks can arise in the application of the amendment since it does not explicitly state how terrorism should be classified. Turkey has demanded tougher anti-terror laws as a condition for approving Sweden’s application to NATO.
Sources: Swedish Ministry of Justice, SVT, The Local Sweden, Swedish Riksdag

