Background & Purpose

There is a need to make the law against hate speech clearer and more comprehensive, ensuring that serious historical atrocities like the Holocaust cannot be denied without legal consequences.

Proposals & Debate

The proposal includes explicit criminalization of Holocaust denial and other severe international crimes under Swedish law. It also gives individuals targeted by hate speech the status of a victim with the right to claim damages.

The Decision

Parliament approved the government's proposal to update the criminal code and adopted the constitutional amendments as resting legislation.

Does this affect you?

  • Utsatta minoritetsgrupper: Får ett starkare rättsligt skydd samt rätt till skadestånd om de drabbas av hets mot folkgrupp.
  • Allmänheten: Tydligare gränser för vad som är tillåtet att yttra offentligt utan att bryta mot lagen om hets mot folkgrupp.

In Practice

  • Denying the Holocaust becomes explicitly illegal under Swedish law.
  • Individuals targeted by hate speech are granted official victim status and the right to seek damages.
  • The changes in the criminal code take effect on July 1, 2024.
  • Constitutional changes will be voted on a second time after the 2026 election before taking full effect.