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.
“Provoked”
At the same time, the court believes that this is 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, says councilor Lisa Anestål to TT.
Benjamin Dousa says he is provoked by the fact that the action is "cheered on by many left-wingers from large parts of the country."
–Nooshi Dadgostar needs to clean up his own party here. This is an extreme party. They are not fit to govern by fomenting this type of activity that the court has now deemed illegal, he tells TT.
"Infringement"
The Hitler apples are considered harassment and not an unlawful 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 personal sphere of the injured party, says Lisa Anestål.
The prosecutor requested that the man be sentenced to one year and two months in prison, but the district court handed down a suspended sentence.
The man is linked to the activist group Rojava Committees, which sympathizes with the Kurds in Syria, among other places. According to the group, the actions were a protest against the government's assistance to the Islamist regime in Syria.
Appeals
The 43-year-old's lawyer, Silas Aliki, believes the verdict is wrong and says they will appeal.
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 notes 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.
