Journalists Matter, Council of Europe Campaign for the Safety of Journalists
The Council of Europe encourages member states to transpose the Campaign to the national context. Without each member’s committed and effective effort at national level, through the development of the so-called ‘national chapter’, the Campaign cannot reach its goals.
In this section, we will present developments in Sweden:
National Focal Point
Ms Sofia BLID, Desk officer, Division for media and democracy, Ministry of Culture
Ms Maria Ripenberg, Project Manager, Swedish Agency for the Media
National Campaign Committee
In Sweden, a national committee for the implementation of the campaign “Journalists matter” has not yet been established. However, in May 2024, the Swedish Agency for the Media was given the task of monitoring journalists’ safety at the domestic level and gathering relevant actors for annual meetings to further strengthen and ensure the sustainability of on-going initiatives. The Agency will report back to the responsible Ministry of Culture with the objective of establishing a formalized, long-term sustainable network between the government, partners, and interested parties in journalists’ safety.
In addition, the National Action Plan “Defending free speech” was adopted in 2017. The Action Plan focuses on strengthening three main areas to protect journalists, elected representatives, and artists:
measures for deeper knowledge and understanding of the effects of threats and hatred
support for those exposed
strengthening the work of the judicial system
The initiatives conducted within the framework of the Action Plan, gathered around 50 stakeholders from several authorities, notably crime-prevention authorities, as well as representatives from the media industry, journalists’ organisations and academic institutions. The Action Plan involves the creation of a monitoring group for implementation. The focus on journalists’ safety issues has resulted in a considerably more active response from large media companies, deepening their cooperation with the police authority.
Safety of Journalists National Landscape
The two constitutional acts in Sweden - the Freedom of the Press Act and the Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression - provide particularly strong and detailed protection for freedom of expression in the printed press, television and radio. They also offer constitutional protection to journalists working in editorial media, increasing the responsibility of editors and thereby better protecting individual journalists from defamation lawsuits and other speech-based claims.
The working conditions for journalists in Sweden are generally considered relatively safe and well protected. However, surveys commissioned at the time of the adoption of the 2017 Action Plan, showed that threats, hatred, and harassment, especially online, are a widespread problem that needs to be addressed more actively.
Since August 1, 2024, amendments to the penal code have been in place to further strengthen the criminal protection of journalists. Criminal offenses committed against a person because that person, or someone close to them, has engaged in information dissemination activities or other journalistic activities shall be considered an aggravating circumstance when penalties are set.
In spring 2024, the Swedish Government presented a set of new measures to follow up on the Action Plan and further strengthen the protection of journalists against threats and hatred.
Sweden, National chapter
