Home HomeSwedenLivingWorld world_2_fill WorldBusiness BusinessSports sports-soccer SportsEntertainmentEntertain

Proposal to prevent criminals from threatening witnesses

Investigation protocols in criminal cases should be kept secret longer than today. This is proposed by the government's investigator, among other things, alongside anonymous witnesses. It will reduce the opportunities for criminals to exert pressure on witnesses and plaintiffs, says Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer (The Moderate Party) to TT.

» Updated: 16 July 2024, 15:57

» Published: 28 June 2024

Proposal to prevent criminals from threatening witnesses
Photo: Claudio Bresciani/TT

Preliminary investigation protocols in criminal cases should be kept secret for a longer period than today. This is proposed by the government's investigator, among other things, alongside anonymous witnesses.

This will reduce the opportunities for criminals to exert pressure on witnesses and plaintiffs, says Minister of Justice Gunnar Strömmer (M) to TT.

Instead of the preliminary investigation protocol becoming public in connection with the indictment, the investigator Fredrik Wersäll proposes that secrecy should prevail until and including the verdict or final decision.

The proposal is submitted in connection with him submitting his final report in the investigation into the introduction of anonymous witnesses in criminal cases.

Weighty reasons

Secrecy should apply if it is not clear that the information can be disclosed without harming individuals or the judicial process.

When the preliminary investigation protocol, not least in slightly larger cases, becomes public, it generates a great deal of interest in the protocol, not only from the media's side, says Wersäll.

This can lead to almost a parallel process. The proposal has a certain impact on public and media insight, but we believe that there are weighty reasons on the other side of the scale.

Gunnar Strömmer notes that it is a balancing act between reduced insight and "protecting the judicial process" when the proposal is now being circulated for comment.

It is a difficult weighing and the goal conflict is real, he says.

Criticized proposal

The investigation has previously proposed introducing a system of anonymous witnesses.

This has received sharp criticism from the Judiciary and the Parliamentary Ombudsman, who have warned that confidence in the judicial system may be damaged.

In May, the proposal was also rejected by the Law Council, which believes that the added value of anonymous witnesses "appears to be very limited".

Strömmer does not want to go into how the government's proposal can be adapted in response to the criticism.

We will present the work when we are finished with the analysis. But if you look at the Law Council's statement, they have gone through it in detail and come up with a long list of proposals, he says.

Then I would like to say that we submitted a proposal that we have assessed as well-balanced.

Does this mean reduced insight and a shift towards more closed processes, is it necessary?

Crime is getting worse, it is system-threatening and endangers very fundamental values in our democratic rule of law. Therefore, it is justified to look into this. With that said, it is important to make careful assessments – and it is not self-evident that every individual proposal should be realized.

Tags
TTT
By TTThis article has been altered and translated by Sweden Herald

More news

Kristersson skips the climate summit
1 MIN READ

Kristersson skips the climate summit

Audit: Kinberg Batra's severance package not incorrect
1 MIN READ

Audit: Kinberg Batra's severance package not incorrect

Trapped under a work machine – taken to hospital
1 MIN READ

Trapped under a work machine – taken to hospital

Deadly Synthetic Opioids Classified as Narcotics
2 MIN READ

Deadly Synthetic Opioids Classified as Narcotics

Dropped investigation against Jomshof for hate crime
1 MIN READ

Dropped investigation against Jomshof for hate crime

The Government Extends Border Control
1 MIN READ

The Government Extends Border Control

Swedes arrested for terrorist crimes in Copenhagen
2 MIN READ

Swedes arrested for terrorist crimes in Copenhagen

Two students stabbed at school in Hallsberg
2 MIN READ

Two students stabbed at school in Hallsberg

Unannounced visits, a new weapon against benefit fraud
2 MIN READ

Unannounced visits, a new weapon against benefit fraud

16-year-old convicted of murder plan in Denmark
2 MIN READ

16-year-old convicted of murder plan in Denmark

Social Democrats' demands on Kristersson: EU plan for Ukraine support
2 MIN READ

Social Democrats' demands on Kristersson: EU plan for Ukraine support

Suspects Released After School Operation
1 MIN READ

Suspects Released After School Operation

The Verdict: Cannabis in the Blood of Pastry Poisoning Victims
1 MIN READ

The Verdict: Cannabis in the Blood of Pastry Poisoning Victims

The Kumla hackers gained access to "almost everything"
2 MIN READ

The Kumla hackers gained access to "almost everything"

Criminal got job as social worker
1 MIN READ

Criminal got job as social worker

Woman dies after being hit by a car in Västerås
1 MIN READ

Woman dies after being hit by a car in Västerås

Voluntary for Municipalities to Employ Doctors
1 MIN READ

Voluntary for Municipalities to Employ Doctors

In Malmö, we commemorate Kristallnacht
1 MIN READ

In Malmö, we commemorate Kristallnacht

The gap is increasing – more women than men continue to study
1 MIN READ

The gap is increasing – more women than men continue to study

Man Shot at in Kista – Escaped Unharmed
1 MIN READ

Man Shot at in Kista – Escaped Unharmed