Opinions have been expressed that simply cross a line, says Sebastian Jaktling (S), chairman of Lund's culture and leisure committee.
In December last year, Expressen revealed that Edwan, who has Palestinian roots, had posted praise for Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. She has also shared posts praising Hamas leaders.
Edwan has been awarded a two-year sanctuary scholarship in Lund, but now it's over.
“The answer is no”
It is not a question of freedom of expression. You are allowed to think and feel what you want in Lund Municipality, but the question is whether our common tax funds should go to pay for housing, living expenses and provide a platform for this type of opinion, and the answer is no, says Samuel Jonsson (M), the committee's vice-chairman.
The politicians believe that the author has violated the municipality's core values.
Edwan will be offered three months' notice. The municipality will not offer a place to any new sanctuary writer until it has investigated how to avoid ending up in a similar situation again.
“Sanctuary writing is under threat”
The entire sanctuary writing community is threatened by this decision. It shows that even in Sweden you don't have the freedom to express yourself as you want, says Karin Salmson, chairwoman of Writers' Center South.
She believes that the decision "clearly disregards the principles behind freedom of expression."
"You should have the right to express whatever opinions and ideas you want without it leading to reprisals such as terminating an agreement of this form, which is based on those very principles," she tells TT.
The reception of Bissan Edwan has taken place in collaboration with the International Cities of Refuge Network (ICORN), whose Norwegian chairman Helge Lunde emphasizes that Lund's politicians are guilty of breach of contract if they follow through with the decision. He also believes that no proper examination has been made of what Bissan Edwan actually expressed.
There are so many nuances that are completely lost. Sweden has perhaps the world's strongest freedom of expression, but it clashes with a populist and almost xenophobic media climate. It has caused politicians to panic, he says.
The formal decision will be made by the Culture and Leisure Committee on March 19.
Bissan Edwan has a residence permit until November.
Bissan Edwan is a Palestinian writer, publisher and activist.
She was born in Libya, has Palestinian parents, and grew up in Egypt.
After repeated criticism of Egyptian authorities' treatment of Palestinian refugees, she was forced to leave Egypt in 2020.
In December 2024, she arrived in Lund where she was offered the position of writer in residence for two years.
In December 2025, Expressen revealed that she had praised Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and that she had shared posts praising Hamas leaders.
She herself has explained that the posts were taken out of context.
