It is about the organization The Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR), one of Sida's cooperation partners in the Palestinian areas.
According to Danish media reports, it is alleged that individuals with ties to Hamas have participated in police training conducted by ICHR before October 7, 2023.
Sida is now investigating the allegations, in cooperation with Denmark, Finland, Norway, Switzerland, and the Netherlands – countries that have all supported the organization.
We have had very good control over this organization before the decisions were made to support it, says Sida's Director-General Jakob Granit.
They have confirmed to us that all individuals they have cooperated with do not belong to Hamas or any other terrorist organization. This information we must now investigate and clarify.
”Great difference”
Sida has paid a total of 55 million kronor to the organization between 2011 and 2025.
This has been done in line with the government's mission – which before October 7, 2023, was to work with human rights, democracy, the principles of the rule of law, and equality, emphasizes Granit.
This despite the fact that Hamas has ruled in Gaza since 2006.
The mission has been very clear that we should make this type of effort, says Granit.
Minister for Development Cooperation Benjamin Dousa also says that there has been no doubt about the mission from the government.
But there is a great difference between an organization having contact with a regime in Gaza to get humanitarian access, and having training efforts with Hamas, says Benjamin Dousa.
”Get to the bottom”
How the money, according to reports, could still go to the latter, Dousa means that the investigation will have to show.
The trust in Sida and Director-General Jakob Granit has not been affected by the incident, says Dousa.
I still have confidence in Sida. I have confidence that they take this process seriously, to get to the bottom of what happened.
After Hamas' terror attack, the long-term aid was paused to thoroughly investigate whether there were links to terrorism. Reporting from February 2024 showed no indications that ICHR had such links, according to Sida.
If something proves to be incorrect in this, we will take appropriate action, says Granit.
