Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Israeli media: At least two soldiers killed by anti-tank missile fired at Israeli army forces in the Gaza Strip
Local Syrian sources: Mortar shells fell on more than nine villages in the Sweida countryside
Local Syrian sources: Dozens of dead and wounded have arrived at Sweida hospitals as a result of ongoing clashes at several locations in the western Sweida countryside
Local sources: Civilians, including children and women, were injured in the al-Maqous neighborhood of Sweida, in Syria, as a result of ongoing clashes
Israeli media outlet: Security incident reported in the Gaza Strip
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson: No new date or venue has been set for the meeting between Araghchi and Witkoff, and no negotiations will take place until the outcome is guaranteed
Palestinian platforms: Settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque complex under the protection of the occupation police
Palestinian platforms: The IOF detonated a booby-trapped robot east of the al-Zaytoun neighborhood, south of Gaza City
Syrian Defense: We call on all parties in Sweida to cooperate with security forces and exercise restraint
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese Army is continuing its investigations and will later announce any information that does not affect the confidentiality of the investigation

Sweden’s ‘snitch law’ immigration plan slammed as 'utterly inhumane'

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 11 Aug 2024 16:34
  • 1 Shares
4 Min Read

The plan would require up to a million personnel, including dentists and teachers, to disclose any interaction with undocumented patients, pupils, and authorities.

Listen
  • x
  • Sweden’s ‘snitch law’ immigration plan decried as inhumane
    Refugees register their names as they arrive at Stockholm central mosque on October 15, 2015. (AFP)

Professional workers in Sweden like social workers and doctors have raised concern about a plan under consideration by a government-appointed committee that would require public sector personnel to report unauthorized persons to police.

The plan, dubbed the "snitch law" by critics, was one of several policies in a 2022 agreement reached by the country's four right-wing parties. The agreement paved the way for a coalition administration consisting of three of the country's center-right parties, with legislative backing from the far-right anti-immigrant Sweden Democrats (SD).

Almost two years after the SD became Sweden's largest party, work is underway to turn the plan regarding public sector workers into law. The government has directed the committee to provide ideas on how this may be put into legislation, and it is expected to present its conclusions to the government by the end of November.

The plan would require up to a million personnel, including dentists and teachers, to disclose any interaction with undocumented patients, pupils, and authorities, sparking backlash from activists and professional groups.

'Utterly inhumane'

Michele LeVoy of the Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants called the proposal " utterly inhumane", explaining that people may be hesitant to take their children to school and even more reluctant to seek medical attention or report crimes against them.

"Why would anyone want to go somewhere when they know that the main thing that will happen is not that they can get care, not that they can go to school, not that they can go to the library – they’ll just be turned in.”

Related News

France-UK migration pact faces EU review and public backlash

Venezuelan Parliament demands return of 18 children detained in US

LeVoy described the measures as part of a rising tendency in Europe to criminalize solidarity with illegal individuals, worried it would damage years of trust and fuel bigotry and stigma.

"Everywhere where obligations to denounce undocumented people have been applied, the result has been more discrimination, suffering and fear."

Jacob Lind, a postdoctoral researcher in international migration at Malmö University, believes the Swedish plan will have little influence on lowering the number of persons without documents in the country, indicating that people would not leave but rather will end up "in further misery," adding that "society will have even less contact with people who are in this situation, further increasing their vulnerability and making them even more exploitable.”

As of December 2023, more than 150 Swedish regions, municipalities, labor unions, and other civil society organizations have spoken out against the proposal. 

Sofia Rydgren Stale, the association's president of the Swedish Medical Association, is one of the groups that have spoken out. "I became a doctor to help people, not to monitor and report on them."

The group has maintained that reporting requirements would violate professional ethics guidelines and principles. 

The Swedish government stated that the committee looking into how this may become legislation was also investigating whether the need to share information would clash with professional principles, such as those in healthcare. 

In May of this year, the professional ethics committee formed by two Swedish unions representing teachers stated that the requirement to report would place them in an untenable situation.

According to Anna Troberg of the DIK labor union, more than 90% of librarians rejected the concept, affirming that they would rather lose their jobs than report those in need.

  • Sweden
  • Stockholm
  • immigrants
  • Migrant Crisis

Most Read

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Major ambush in Gaza kills 6 Israeli troops, injures dozens

Major ambush in Gaza kills 5 Israeli troops, injures 14

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Israeli soldiers are seen in Beit Hanoun ahead of an operation by the al-Qassam Brigades, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

'Israel' on blast as media exposes report discrepancies in Gaza ambush

  • Palestine
  • 8 Jul 2025
Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

  • Politics
  • 9 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
The Freedom Flotilla ship Handala as it departs for Gaza, where it aims to break the maritime blockade at a port in Syracuse, Sicily in southern Italy on July 13, 2025. (AFP)
Palestine

Freedom Flotilla's Handala departs Sicily in bid to break Gaza siege

The container ship CMA CGM Laperouse, left, docks at the Georgia Ports Authority's Port of Savannah, Sept. 29, 2021, in Savannah, Ga (AP)
Politics

US shipbuilding woes deepen as tariffs, outdated policies backfire

Gaza war raises ethical questions for ex-Obama, Biden officials
Politics

Mercenary firm tied to Gaza war crimes hires Obama-Biden PR operatives

'Israel' targets children in Gaza collecting water
Palestine

'Israel' strikes Gaza kids fetching water, blames it on 'malfunction'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS