The government announced on Thursday that they have entered into an agreement to place up to 600 convicted criminals in Estonian prisons.
The trade union Seko, which represents 5,500 correctional officers in Sweden, is very concerned about the consequences of the proposal.
I have extremely difficulty in understanding how they will get this right from a legal perspective. And generally, I do not see why anyone in the government would think it wise to outsource Swedish authority, says chairperson Gabriella Lavecchia, who sits on the Social Democratic Party's executive committee.
”Isolated even more”
She also wonders how inmates will have their rights fully exercised. She raises questions about permits, visits, and potential language barriers.
I cannot see that this will lead to anything good.
The Swedish Confederation of Professional Associations SSR, which organizes the correctional officers' academics, is also highly critical and sees a risk for the staff's work environment, legal security, and rehabilitation opportunities.
”Moving Swedish inmates to another country involves great risks,” writes chairperson Heike Erkers in a comment.
The human rights organization Civil Rights Defenders has commented on the governing parties' plans, stating that a person deprived of liberty who is placed outside the country will be isolated even more from their context.
Needs more votes
The agreement and a legislative proposal are planned to be submitted to the Riksdag in the spring of 2026. For approval, a qualified majority in the Riksdag is required. The government thus needs the Social Democratic Party's votes. The Social Democratic Party gives no answer to the question but says that this does not solve the fundamental problem that Sweden has.
”Now the situation is becoming acute, and the government wants to rent a prison in Estonia. The Social Democratic Party is fundamentally skeptical of outsourcing jobs and authority outside Sweden. There are many questions about legislation and concerns about this setup that we must get answers to", writes the party's spokesperson for justice policy Teresa Carvalho in a comment.
The Center Party gives a concrete no to the government's plans and also points to the slow pace of prison construction in Sweden.
