SWEDEN - Since October 7th, the World Jewish Congress’ Nordic Office has been advocating for the Swedish government to increase security efforts for its Jewish communities, as hate crime incidents and Holocaust denial and distortion rhetoric have risen drastically in recent months.
On February 16, 2024, the Swedish government proposed amendments to the Freedom of the Press Act and the Criminal Code regarding the laws on agitation against ethnic groups, commonly referred to as hate speech legislation.
These amendments aim to:
- Specifically criminalize the denial of the Holocaust and other recognized international crimes.
- Clarify the inclusion of incitement to violence within the legislation, and
- Provide individuals within protected groups with recognized victim status and the right to compensation.
With support from all parliamentary parties, the Swedish government unanimously voted on a new provision on hate speech, which will make Holocaust denial and distortion illegal in Sweden. When the Constitutional Committee decides later this year, it will go to the Swedish Parliament for a vote on May 22.
The World Jewish Congress’ Coordinator of the Religious Freedom Task Force and Representative in the Nordics, Petra Kahn Nord, has been collaborating with the Jewish community of Sweden to create and implement a National Strategy to Strengthen Jewish Life in Sweden, 2025–2034. The strategy plan highlights the importance of preserving Jewish traditions and practices in the region while also extending a display of solidarity through recent efforts, such as Sweden’s endorsement of the IHRA's working definition of antisemitism.
Along with the Holocaust denial proposal, the government is presenting these actions as a concentrated effort to de-escalate Jewish hate crimes, a goal that the WJC has long been advocating for. Petra Kahn Nord and Head of WJC Strategy & Programs, Daniel Radomski, recently met with the Swedish Prime Minister to discuss the rise of antisemitism from the WJC’s global perspective.
In response to the news of the government's proposed amendment to the legislature regarding Holocaust denial, Kahn Nord stated, “In the wake of October 7, the Jewish community applauds the Swedish parliament's efforts to eradicate sentiments such as hate speech and Holocaust denial. We are eager to work with lawmakers to guarantee sufficient participation in the much-awaited national strategy plans aimed at promoting Jewish life and battling antisemitism.”
