Proposal: participation in a terrorist organisation to be a punishable offence

In a proposal for consideration by the Council on Legislation, the Government proposes specific criminal responsibility for any person who participates in the activities of a terrorist organisation in a manner that is liable to promote, strengthen or support the organisation. It also proposes to make it a punishable offence to finance participation in a terrorist organisation, to publicly encourage or recruit others, or to travel abroad for the purpose of committing this offence.

“There is a heightened threat of terrorism in Sweden, which must be taken very seriously. The Government is presenting a legislative proposal under which it will be punishable both to participate in and to finance participation in terrorist organisations. This is about tough penalties, and for someone who has led a terrorist organisation, the consequence can be a lifetime prison sentence,” says Minister for Justice Gunnar Strömmer.

The proposed scale of penalties is imprisonment for at most four years. If the offence is gross, the proposed scale is imprisonment for at least two and at most eight years. If the perpetrator has led the terrorist organisation, the scale of penalties proposed is imprisonment for a fixed term of at least two and at most eighteen years, or for life. 

Essentially all forms of support to a terrorist organisation, whether material assistance or assistance in the form of participation in activities, maintain and strengthen it and thus its ability to commit terrorist offences. To further improve the possibilities to prevent and combat terrorism, the Government proposes stricter anti-terrorism legislation through the introduction of a specific criminal provision for participation in a terrorist organisation.

The proposal for consideration by the Council of Legislation was adopted on 2 February 2023. The Government Bill is due to be presented on 7 March 2023, and the legislative amendments are proposed to enter into force on 1 June 2023.