Sweden

Sweden regularly reports hate crime data to ODIHR. Hate crime reports are published every second year. Since 2016, the Government has implemented a national plan against racism, similar forms of hostility and hate crime. The plan takes an integrated approach and comprises strategies and measures to prevent and combat racism and hate crime through co-ordination and monitoring, education and research, and support for and co-operation with civil society. 

Three different victimization surveys are conducted at one, two and three-year intervals in order to measure unreported hate crime.

Hate crime data collection in Sweden
Support for hate crime victims in Sweden
Hate crime capacity building in Sweden
Sweden's hate crime legislation
Download the 2022 hate crime report for Sweden

OFFICIAL DATA REPORTED BY STATES

Year Hate crimes recorded by police Prosecuted Sentenced
2023 Not available Not available Not available
2022 2695 213 Not available
2021 Not available Not available Not available
2020 3150 334 Not available
2019 Not available Not available Not available
2018 5858 218 -
2017 Not available Not available Not available
2016 4862 257 Not available
2015 4859 255 Not available
2014 4258 279 Not available
2013 3943 161 Not available
2012 5518 344 Not available
2011 5493 347 Not available
2010 5139 440 Not available
2009 5797 450 Not available

About 2022 Data

    Sweden reports hate crime statistics every second year. The national hate crime data for 2022 will be was published in December 2023, after the launch of the 2022 HCR. ODIHR will added data it thereafter.

    A total of 3,709 cases were recorded by police, including 559 offences that fall outside of the OSCE definition of hate crime and are not presented here. The cases reported include crimes where hate was identified as the underlying motive. In 2020, Sweden's National Council for Crime Prevention (Brå) used a different data selection methodology for hate crime statistics. Therefore, these statistics are not comparable with those submitted by Brå in previous years.

    The prosecution figures show the number of prosecuted hate crimes as of May 31, 2023, of the hate crimes that were reported in 2020.

Hate crime recorded by police

The breakdown below presents records referring to bias motivations and may include offences that fall outside the OSCE’s hate crime definition. A number of offences involved more than one bias motivation.

National developments

In 2022, the Swedish Police Authority worked to improve its capacity to address hate crime, launched social media campaigns related to hate crimes, established stronger links between the police and religious communities, and tightened co-operation with the municipal police and the Security Service as part of "Redex" – a network of regional intelligence-oriented teams tasked with reducing extremism by flagging individuals of interest in hate crime cases. The Police also co-operated as part of special councils aimed at exchanging information on hate crimes and building trust with victimized communities.   

In November 2022, the Swedish Prosecution Authority (Åklagarmyndigheten) held a conference for specialized hate crime prosecutors from across the country to exchange experiences.

The Prosecution Development Centre issued guidelines on how to investigate hate crimes.

The Swedish Crime Victim Authority (Brottsoffermyndigheten) celebrated the International day of Crime Victims by highlighting new research in the area and providing in-depth knowledge about the situation and rights of crime victims, including hate crime victims. It also provided financial support to civil society organizations specializing in hate crimes.

The Public Health Agency of Sweden (Folkhälsomyndigheten) has launched research projects related to intersectional discrimination and hate crimes against members of victimized groups infected with HIV, bisexual people, members of the indigenous populations and national minorities.   

The Living History Forum – a public agency established under the Ministry of Culture – continued to support the implementation of Sweden's "National plan against racism, similar forms of hostility and hate crimes" by co-ordinating the government's network of experts. The Police Authority, in co-operation with the Living History Forum organized an awareness-raising online seminar for police officers, focusing on anti-Semitic expressions and symbols. The Forum also ran research, educational (including with the Swedish National Agency for Education), awareness-raising and capacity-building projects.

The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SKR) continued to implement a programme on countering hate crimes and offering conflict management tools at a local level.

The National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen) devoted its financial support to organizations that provide support to LGBTI people who have experienced intimate partner violence and undertake awareness-raising activities. 

The Swedish Media Council (Statens Mediaråd) continued its awareness-raising efforts to prevent hate crimes.

The Swedish Agency for Support for Faith Communities (Myndigheten för stöd till Trossamfund), co-operated with the Swedish Police and Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) on community safety issues, and worked on projects to raise awareness of anti-Muslim hate.   

The Swedish Defence Research Agency has been tasked with research on the prevalence of different forms of racism in digital environments in relation to Sweden. As of 2022, it has conducted a permanent survey and analysis of violent extremism and racism in digital environments.

KEY OBSERVATION

ODIHR recognizes Sweden's efforts to report its hate crime information to ODIHR. However, based on the available information, it observes that Sweden has not reported data on hate crimes recorded by the judiciary to ODIHR. ODIHR recognizes Sweden's efforts to address hate crime in a comprehensive manner. ODIHR's main observation on data collection will be added here after the data for 2022 is submitted to ODIHR in December 2023. Otherwise, ODIHR observes that Sweden has met most of its OSCE commitments on hate crime.

ODIHR recalls that in Ministerial Council Decision 9/09, OSCE participating States have committed to collecting reliable data and statistics in sufficient detail on hate crimes, and to reporting such data periodically to ODIHR. ODIHR stands ready to support Sweden in meeting the relevant commitments through the provision of its comprehensive resources and tailored assistance.
 

Our methodology

INCIDENTS REPORTED BY CIVIL SOCIETY

🛈 Please note that the total number of incidents may be lower than the sum of incidents presented in the breakdown chart above, as some incidents involve multiple bias motivations.

🛈 ODIHR no longer presents descriptions of property attacks in the incident tables below. Data on property attacks are presented in the breakdown charts above. One property attack may target multiple properties or involve multiple types of attack.

🛈 Please note that the total number of incidents may be lower than the sum of incidents presented in the breakdown chart above, as some incidents involve multiple bias motivations.

🛈 ODIHR no longer presents descriptions of property attacks in the incident tables below. Data on property attacks are presented in the breakdown charts above. One property attack may target multiple properties or involve multiple types of attack.

🛈 Please note that the total number of incidents may be lower than the sum of incidents presented in the breakdown chart above, as some incidents involve multiple bias motivations.

🛈 ODIHR no longer presents descriptions of property attacks in the incident tables below. Data on property attacks are presented in the breakdown charts above. One property attack may target multiple properties or involve multiple types of attack.

Racist and xenophobic hate crime

Date Type of incident Source Description
2022-04 Threats/Harassment
OSCE Office for Democratic Institution and Human Rights
 Show info

Gender-based hate crime

Date Type of incident Source Description
2022-02 Violent attacks against people
Transgender Europe (TGEU)
 Show info
2022-04 Threats/Harassment
OSCE Office for Democratic Institution and Human Rights
 Show info

Anti-LGBTI hate crime

Date Type of incident Source Description
2022-02 Violent attacks against people
Transgender Europe (TGEU)
 Show info

INTERNATIONAL REPORTS

No information is available.