It was in January that the man left a basket of apples painted with Adolf Hitler's face outside the home of Migration Minister Johan Forssell (M). A mannequin depicting an IS terrorist, with a toy knife and a red-painted doll's head, was placed outside the home of Development Minister Benjamin Dousa (M).
He was arrested shortly afterwards by Säpo.
The district court believes that the doll "by its appearance and location was clearly frightening and threatening" and that it signaled an implied threat.
The fact that the installation was provided with the message "Benjamin Dousa finances ethnic cleansing in Syria" and that the purpose was explained on social media did not make it any less threatening, according to the ruling.
At the same time, the court says this was not a serious threat as alleged by the prosecutor.
The district court has taken into account, among other things, that it was a plastic toy knife, said councillor Lisa Anestål to TT.
"Infringement"
The Hitler apples were considered harassment, not an illegal threat. According to the court, the symbolism was not criminal, but rather the placement, which made Forssell feel observed.
The recklessness consists of the intrusion into the injured party's personal sphere, says Lisa Anestål.
The prosecutor requested a prison sentence of one year and two months, but the district court imposed a suspended sentence.
The man is connected to the activist group Rojava Committees, which sympathises with the Kurds in Syria, among other places, and the actions were, according to the group, a protest against the government's assistance to the Islamist regime in Syria.
Appeals
The 43-year-old's lawyer, Silas Aliki, says the verdict is wrong and will be appealed.
Our position remains that my client's actions fell within his freedom of expression and demonstration. From that perspective, it is worrying that he is now being convicted for exercising his constitutionally protected rights.
Johan Forssell welcomes the verdict.
"In Sweden, everyone should be able to get involved politically without feeling fear or discomfort. Ultimately, it's about protecting our democracy," he says in a written comment to TT.
In a written comment, Dousa addresses the fact that the action has been defended by some left-wingers:
"It clearly shows how extreme the party is. Now the same party will be given the red carpet for ministerial posts by Magdalena Andersson. She needs to answer how the far left will be kept out."
