The former national security adviser forgot secret documents in an unlocked safe on a college campus outside Stockholm in March 2023. The documents were later found by a cleaner on the campus.
The prosecutors believe that the documents, which contain information that could harm Sweden if it reached a foreign power, should be considered classified and that Henrik Landerholm should be convicted of negligence with secret information. They demanded that the district court impose “a significant fine.”
Not gross negligence
The Attunda District Court agreed that the information was disclosed and that it could have harmed Sweden's security. However, Landerholm was not considered to have been "grossly" negligent, only negligent, so he was acquitted by the district court in September last year.
It was careless in itself, but not conscious risk-taking, just forgetfulness, said Chief Councilor Lennart Christianson.
Prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist considered the district court's assessment to be "strange".
"If he had just looked into the cabinet, he would have noticed the documents and taken them with him. This normal check that anyone should do was not done," he said after the verdict.
Overall assessment
On Thursday, the case will be heard in the Court of Appeal after the verdict was appealed by the prosecution.
"In an overall assessment of Landerholm's actions, Landerholm's disregard of the security regulations and his position as national security adviser must be considered to constitute gross negligence," they write in their appeal.
The appeal hearing, which is being held at the Stockholm District Court, is scheduled to conclude next week.
Henrik Landerholm left his post as national security adviser when the investigation against him began in January 2025.
