Swedish human rights commitments in OSCE-perspective
Sweden is almost automatically categorized among the “good guys” in international human rights comparisons. Even so, it is most relevant that a country of Sweden’s stature during its chairpersonship of the OSCE in 2021 is examined and discussed regarding its compliance with the human rights commitment associated with its membership of the OSCE.
The tradition of self-examinations of chairperson states has been established over the past decade by the Civic Solidarity Platform (CSP), the network of civil society and human rights advocacy groups in OSCE member states. The purpose is to promote self-reflection among chair governments and civil society organisations in their countries during the
time they chair this important organisation for security, cooperation and
civic rights in Europe, the transatlantic sphere and Central Asia.
Already in 2020 the Swedish government presented a comprehensive national
report to the United Nations Human Rights Council and its Universal
Periodic Review, UPR. The report was to a great extent based on input
from Swedish civil society. Thus, it is logical to begin this self-evaluation by presenting the Swedish UPR report as originally submitted. Then, following the practice in recent
self-evaluations in the CSP context, a limited number of issues has been chosen
for more in-depth analysis.
Invited civil society and advocacy groups contribute assessments under the headings of Discrimination and Hate Speech, Gender Equality and Torture.
Additional thematic essays by academic and professional expertise deal with further problem areas of particular interest, like constitutional reforms in process, the status of national minorities, in particular the Sami people, corruption and media developments and the role of public service radio and television. In a year still tragically marked by the covid 19 pandemic a thorough essay is also devoted to the Swedish strategy for and handling of the pandemic and its different human rights implications.
Assessments and opinions expressed in the different chapters are the responsibility of the individual contributors. The responsibility for the publication as presented here rests with the editors. The Swedish OSCE Network, the Swedish CSP member, is the initiator and sponsor of the project. The network is an independent voluntary organization with both individual and organizational members. It is not affiliated to any political party or religious denomination. The purpose of the network is to inform the public and stimulate discussion about the work of the OSCE and related themes.
Table of contents
1. Introductory remarks: scope and methods
Anders Mellbourn and Anki Wetterhall, editors ................................ 7
2. National report from Sweden in the third cycle of
the Universal Periodic Review ......................................................... 9
3. Civil society concerns in the UPR and other reports ............. 39
a) Discrimination and hate speech .................................................... 40
b) Gender equality ............................................................................. 57
c) Torture ............................................................................................ 82
4. Thematic essays ............................................................................ 87
a) Sweden and the rule of law ........................................................... 87
Philip Tåhlin, Department of Law, Stockholm University
b) The rights of Indigenous peoples: the Swedish state’s
policy towards the Sámi people ....................................................... 106
Ulf Mörkenstam, professor, and Ragnhild Nilsson, Department
of Political Science, Stockholm University
c) Bribery, corruption and other abuses of power ........................... 121
Claes Sandgren, Professor em, Stockholm Centre for Commercial Law,
Stockholm University; former chair, Swedish Anti-Corruption Institute
d) Media development in Sweden ................................................... 127
Olof Kleberg, former editor-in-chief at Västerbottens-Kuriren, and
Pär Trehörning, freelance journalist, former ombudsman at
the Swedish Union of Journalists
e) The Swedish pandemic strategy and its human
rights implications
Review of measures taken, legislation and public debate .................... 141
Lisa Pelling, PhD, Director of Arena Idé
5. Concluding reflections .............................................................. 167
a) Summary thoughts from inside ................................................... 167
Charlotta Göller, Programme Manager & Advisor, International
Law, The Swedish Foundation for Human Rights
b) A look from the outside .............................................................. 170
Matthias Hui, humanrights.ch, for Civic Solidarity Platform (CSP)
Read and download full report here
Sweden is almost automatically categorized among the “good guys” in international human rights comparisons. Even so, it is most relevant that a country of Sweden’s stature during its chairpersonship of the OSCE in 2021 is examined and discussed regarding its compliance with the human rights commitment associated with its membership of the OSCE.
The tradition of self-examinations of chairperson states has been established over the past decade by the Civic Solidarity Platform (CSP), the network of civil society and human rights advocacy groups in OSCE member states. The purpose is to promote self-reflection among chair governments and civil society organisations in their countries during the
time they chair this important organisation for security, cooperation and
civic rights in Europe, the transatlantic sphere and Central Asia.
Already in 2020 the Swedish government presented a comprehensive national
report to the United Nations Human Rights Council and its Universal
Periodic Review, UPR. The report was to a great extent based on input
from Swedish civil society. Thus, it is logical to begin this self-evaluation by presenting the Swedish UPR report as originally submitted. Then, following the practice in recent
self-evaluations in the CSP context, a limited number of issues has been chosen
for more in-depth analysis.
Invited civil society and advocacy groups contribute assessments under the headings of Discrimination and Hate Speech, Gender Equality and Torture.
Additional thematic essays by academic and professional expertise deal with further problem areas of particular interest, like constitutional reforms in process, the status of national minorities, in particular the Sami people, corruption and media developments and the role of public service radio and television. In a year still tragically marked by the covid 19 pandemic a thorough essay is also devoted to the Swedish strategy for and handling of the pandemic and its different human rights implications.
Assessments and opinions expressed in the different chapters are the responsibility of the individual contributors. The responsibility for the publication as presented here rests with the editors. The Swedish OSCE Network, the Swedish CSP member, is the initiator and sponsor of the project. The network is an independent voluntary organization with both individual and organizational members. It is not affiliated to any political party or religious denomination. The purpose of the network is to inform the public and stimulate discussion about the work of the OSCE and related themes.
Table of contents
1. Introductory remarks: scope and methods
Anders Mellbourn and Anki Wetterhall, editors ................................ 7
2. National report from Sweden in the third cycle of
the Universal Periodic Review ......................................................... 9
3. Civil society concerns in the UPR and other reports ............. 39
a) Discrimination and hate speech .................................................... 40
b) Gender equality ............................................................................. 57
c) Torture ............................................................................................ 82
4. Thematic essays ............................................................................ 87
a) Sweden and the rule of law ........................................................... 87
Philip Tåhlin, Department of Law, Stockholm University
b) The rights of Indigenous peoples: the Swedish state’s
policy towards the Sámi people ....................................................... 106
Ulf Mörkenstam, professor, and Ragnhild Nilsson, Department
of Political Science, Stockholm University
c) Bribery, corruption and other abuses of power ........................... 121
Claes Sandgren, Professor em, Stockholm Centre for Commercial Law,
Stockholm University; former chair, Swedish Anti-Corruption Institute
d) Media development in Sweden ................................................... 127
Olof Kleberg, former editor-in-chief at Västerbottens-Kuriren, and
Pär Trehörning, freelance journalist, former ombudsman at
the Swedish Union of Journalists
e) The Swedish pandemic strategy and its human
rights implications
Review of measures taken, legislation and public debate .................... 141
Lisa Pelling, PhD, Director of Arena Idé
5. Concluding reflections .............................................................. 167
a) Summary thoughts from inside ................................................... 167
Charlotta Göller, Programme Manager & Advisor, International
Law, The Swedish Foundation for Human Rights
b) A look from the outside .............................................................. 170
Matthias Hui, humanrights.ch, for Civic Solidarity Platform (CSP)
Read and download full report here