Participation in a terrorist organisation to be a punishable offence

A bill presented by the Govern­ment today 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 provoke or recruit others, or to travel abroad for the purpose of committing this offence.

“There is a heightened threat of terrorism in Sweden, which we must take very seriously. In light of this, the Gover­nment has presented a bill to prohibit participation in a terrorist organisation. This will result in a new powerful tool to combat terrorism and safeguard our free and open society,” says Minister for Justice Gunnar Strömmer.

Essentially all forms of support to a terrorist organisation – whether it be material assistance or assistance in the form of partici­pation in activities – maintain and strengthen the organi­sation 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 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 a 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.

The bill was presented to the Riksdag today. It is proposed that the legislative amendments enter into force on 1 June 2023.