The UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, Nazila Ghanea, visited Sweden from 11 to 20 October 2023. Her newly released report concludes that Sweden generally has the necessary legal and policy frameworks in place to protect and promote the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion, or belief. However, she warns that politically expedient responses to an increasingly diverse society, alongside an incomplete understanding of the full scope of freedom of religion or belief, risk undermining these protections.
The Rapporteur draws particular attention to concerns raised by religious communities, including Muslim and Jewish groups, regarding growing intolerance. While some government bodies demonstrate an awareness of these issues, others fail to recognise them as serious human rights concerns or do not give them sufficient attention. The report stresses the need for coordinated and sustained initiatives to ensure comprehensive and systematic change across all levels of government and throughout Swedish society.
To hear directly about the experiences of these religious communities and their current situation, find the link to the full report below.
