In response to media reports about a suspected rape in Stockholm, the prosecutor can confirm that a criminal report has been submitted to the police.

According to the report, the incident took place on October 10 at a hotel in central Stockholm. Case number at the Swedish Prosecution Authority: AM-152477-24. The investigation is being led by senior prosecutor Marina Chirakova, who is unable to provide more information at this time. Further information will be provided in a press release when available. Press Service, +46 10 562 50 20

The prosecutor has today indicted a woman with genocide, crimes against humanity and serious war crimes in Raqqa, Syria, between 2014 and 2016. This indictment is the first in Sweden to try the Islamic State’s attack on the Yazidi minority. It is also the first indictment in Sweden for crimes against humanity. The prosecutor is available to the media by phone after today’s press conference.

The investigation shows that the Islamic State, IS, attacked the Yazidi religious minority in Iraq in August 2014. A large number of Yazidi people were killed and thousands of women and children were captured and taken to the area controlled by the IS in Syria. “Under IS control, the Yazidi minority were deprived of basic freedoms and rights. Women, children and men were regarded as property and subjected to enslavement, slave trading, sexual slavery, forced labour, deprivation of liberty and extrajudicial executions. The charged offences comprise part of the systematic abuse and offences these women and children were subjected too during their time in IS’ captivity. IS sought to destroy the Yazidi people on an industrial scale,” says Senior Prosecutor Reena Devgun leading the investigation. The 52-year-old woman is suspected of, in complicity with other perpetrators, between 2014 and 2016, buying or receiving civilian women and children belonging to the Yazidi minority in her residence in Raqqa in Syria. According to the indictment, she treated them as slaves. Furthermore, they were subjected to severe suffering, slavery or other inhumane treatment. In violation of international law they were deprived of liberty in the woman’s home and prevented from leaving. “Genocide, crimes against humanity and serious war crimes can be committed by means of acts that overlap each other. However, they have different protection interests and it is therefore important that the court tries all the criminal classifications that can be relevant for the acts that I believe to have been committed in the residence,” says Reena Devgun. The woman is suspected of, on different occasions, being complicit in selling or handing over women and children to other persons within IS, knowing that they could be killed or subjected to severe suffering or serious sexual assault. “My opinion is that all the victims were subjected to such severe mental harm that it constitutes genocide. Forcefully taking the Yazidi children from their group and, as in this case, bringing them up to be Muslims, is also an act of genocide,” says Reena Devgun. The woman denies all allegations. She is currently serving a sentence for gross violations of international law and serious war crimes. What are genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes? Stockholm District Court Case Number: B3210-23. Contact Senior Prosecutor Reena Devgun is available today 19 September at approximately 3-3.30 PM for interviews on +46 10-562 50 15. The next time she is available to the media is after the judgment has been delivered. Press Service, +46 10 562 50 20

The prosecutor has decided to prosecute two men aged 38 and 49 with agitation against an ethnic or national group. The prosecution relates to four incidents in which the Qur’an was burned in various locations in Stockholm during the summer of 2023. The prosecutor is available to the media.

Both men are prosecuted for four offences of agitation against an ethnic or national group as a result of incidents outside the mosque in Södermalm on 28 July and 24 August 2023, and at Rinkebyplan and Benny Fredrikssons Torg on 25 and 26 August that same year. According to the indictment, evidence largely consists of video recordings of the events in question. “Both men are prosecuted for having on these four occasions made statements and treated the Qur’an in a manner intended to express contempt for Muslims because of their faith. In my opinion, the men’s statements and actions fall under the provisions on agitation against an ethnic or national group and it is important that this matter is tried in court,” says Senior Prosecutor Anna Hankkio, who is leading the investigation. The 49-year-old man is also prosecuted for benefit fraud. Stockholm District Court Case Number: B 10686-23. Contact Senior Prosecutor Anna Hankkio is available to the media by telephone today, 28 August between 11 am and 12 noon on +46 (0)10 562 73 53. Press Service, +46 10 562 50 20

The investigation where an 26-year-old man has been suspected of having subjected a woman to illegal threats has been closed. The incident occurred on May 9 in connection with the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö. The prosecutor is available to the media this afternoon.

The investigation has come to the conclusion that the man made a movement that hit the woman's film camera. The course of events was fast and was perceived differently by the witnesses of the incident. "Today I have closed the investigation because I cannot prove that the act was capable of causing serious fear or that the man had any such intention", says senior prosecutor Fredrik Jönsson. Case number in Malmö District Court: B 5921-24. Contact Senior prosecutor Fredrik Jönsson is available for the media by phone today Monday at 14– 15, +46 10 562 60 75. Press Service, +46 10 562 50 20

The conclusion of the investigation is that Swedish jurisdiction does not apply and that the investigation therefore should be closed.

On September 26, 2022, several attacks were carried out in international waters, directed at the Nord Stream. Public Prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist has led the investigation, which has concerned gross sabotage. The primary purpose of the investigation has been to establish whether Swedish citizens were involved in the act and whether Swedish territory was used to carry out the act, and thereby risked damaging Swedish interests or Sweden's security. The investigation has now reached such a stage that the authorities have a clear view of the incident and that nothing has emerged to indicate that Sweden or Swedish citizens were involved in the attack which took place in international waters. “The investigation has been systematic and thorough. Among other things, a large number of ship movements have been analysed in order to understand what has happened. In addition to that, an extensive crime scene investigation has been carried out and several interviews have been held in the matter. Against the background of the situation we now have, we can state that Swedish jurisdiction does not apply”, says Mats Ljungqvist Cooperation with Swedish authorities The investigation team has had very good cooperation with several Swedish authorities. “I would particularly like to highlight the quick and efficient effort that the Swedish Navy and the Swedish Coast Guard carried out in order to secure the crime scene. Without their efforts, the authorities would not have been able to reach the state of investigation that we have now reached”, says Mats Ljungqvist. Good international cooperation Furthermore, there has been efficient cooperation with several countries. “We have had good cooperation with several countries, above all Denmark and Germany, where we have continuously shared information and status reports. We have had in-depth cooperation with the investigation conducted by the German authorities. Within the framework of this legal cooperation, we have been able to hand over material that can be used as evidence in the German investigation”, says Mats Ljungqvist “The German investigation continues and due to the secrecy that prevails in international legal cooperation, I cannot comment further on the cooperation that has taken place. With reference to this, I will also not be able to comment anything further on the conclusions of the Swedish investigation or comment on any suspected persons in the Swedish investigation”, says Mats Ljungqvist. Summary In summary, the Swedish investigation has been able to establish and confirm circumstances that, taken together, lead to the conclusion that there is no longer any reason to continue the Swedish preliminary investigation because it can be assumed that Swedish courts lacks jurisdiction. The prosecutor will not, due to the secrecy that still prevails, further comment on the case. The decision (in Swedish). Press Service, +46 10 562 50 20

No decision will be made today, Tuesday. The prosecutor will tentatively make a decision tomorrow.

In connection with the decision, a press release will be published. No information can be provided until then. Press Service, +46 10 562 50 20

On June 29, an alarm was received that a mother and a child, a six-year-old, had fallen overboard from the ferry between Gdynia in Poland and Karlskrona in Sweden. Both the mother and the child were found in the sea and taken to hospital in Karlskrona where they were pronounced dead. Suspicion arose that the mother had been guilty of murdering the child. The Swedish prosecutor has today closed the investigation because the suspect is deceased. The prosecutor is available to the media today.

– We have taken a large number of investigative measures to map out what happened. There were no witnesses to the incident, but we have interviewed the captain, reviewed surveillance footage from the ferry and have carried out forensic examinations. The death report shows that the cause of death was drowning. The investigation concludes that the child was killed. The surveillance video displays that the mother had the child in her arms when they fell overboard, says deputy chief prosecutor Marie Lindström, who has been the investigation leader. Both the mother and the child were Polish citizens. An investigation was also opened in Poland and is still ongoing. The Swedish prosecutor's decision to discontinue the investigation does not affect the Polish investigation. – We have not undertaken any investigative measures in Poland, but on request of Polish prosecutors, we have provided them with investigative material. We have investigated the matter here as well because the child and mother were declared deceased in Karlskrona. It is important to point out that no court review has been carried out, so the conclusions we now draw are based on the investigation measures we have taken, says Marie Lindström. The Prosecution Authority’s case number: AM 93747-23. The decision (in Swedish) Since the investigation has been closed, confidentiality remains. The prosecutor is therefore not in a position to answer detailed questions about the investigation Contact Public prosecutor, Marie Lindström, is available to the media today between 10 am and 11 am, +46 10 562 61 24. Press Service, +46 10 562 50 20

On Tuesday 5 September, the trial starts in the case where two representatives of the then named company Lundin Oil AB, have been indicted suspected of having been complicit in war crimes committed by the then Sudanese regime with the purpose of securing the company’s oil operations in southern Sudan between 1999-2003.

The hearing will continue in the Stockholm District Court for approximately two and a half years and will conclude in early 2026. The initial days will, amongst other things, affect claims. The prosecution's case will be presented from September 7 through November 8, 2023. Please contact The Stockholm District Court, department 4, for the main negotiation plan with more information. Stockholm District Court case number: B 11304-14. Six prosecutors from The National Unit Against Organised Crime will be in charge of the prosecution. Media In the end of the trial’s first day on 5 September the prosecutors are available to the media on telephone: Senior Public Prosecutor, Henrik Attorps +46(0)10-562 54 27. Senior Public Prosecutor, Karolina Wieslander +46(0)10-562 54 53. The next opportunity when the prosecutors are available to the media, will be announced in a press release. Before the start of the trial, the prosecutors are not available to the media.

Today the Court of Appeal has found a former surgeon at the Swedish hospital Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset guilty of aggravated assault for implanting artificial tracheas in three patients who subsequently died, sentencing him to two and a half years imprisonment.

“We appealed because, as we see it, the interventions were contrary to science and best practice. Furthermore, a wide range of circumstances clearly show that the interventions were research, not care,” says Director of Public Prosecution Mikael Björk. “It is satisfactory that the Court of Appeal shares our view that two of the three injured parties were not in danger within the meaning of the Penal Code and that the interventions were a matter of research subject to a permit,” says Mikael Björk. The prosecutor is not available for questions in English.     Press Service, +46 10 562 50 20

The prosecutor has today indicted a man in his 40s suspected of attempted serious extortion, serious weapons crime and attempted financing of terrorism. The investigation supports the suspicions that the man acted on behalf of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The prosecutor is available for brief comments by phone this afternoon.

Case number in the Stockholm district court, department 4: B 1069-23.   Contact  Deputy Chief Prosecutor Hans Ihrman is available to the media today, Friday, at 13.30–14.30 for shorter comments, 010-562 53 85. Press Service, +46 10 562 50 20

Public prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist, who is in charge of the ongoing investigation concerning the detonations at the gas pipes North Stream 1 and 2, states that the investigation continues but that it is a complex inquiry and a complicated case to investigate.

“This concerns a crime whose circumstances are difficult to investigate. The detonations took place 80 meters under the water on the ocean floor in the Baltic Sea”, says Mats Ljungqvist. The investigation is being conducted by the Swedish Security Service under the management of the Public Prosecutor at the National Security Unit at the Swedish Prosecution Authority. “There is a variety of information and reports about the sabotage against the gas pipes. The incident has obviously become an open arena for different influence attempts. These speculations do not have an impact on the ongoing investigation, which is grounded in facts and the information which has emerged from analyses, crime scene investigations and collaboration with authorities in Sweden and other countries”, says Mats Ljungqvist. Previously, the investigation has been able to confirm that this is a case concerning gross sabotage. Analyses from objects seized during the crime scene investigations show traces of explosives on several of the foreign objects which were examined. “Regarding the incident, there is no doubt that this is gross sabotage in international waters directed towards infrastructure, whose owner is not connected to Sweden. The focus for the Swedish investigation is primarily about examining if Swedish interest or Swedish security is threatened, for example if Swedish territory was used to carry out the sabotage”, says Mats Ljungqvist. All seized objects and all materials have been examined and analysed carefully. “We are carrying out a number of concrete investigative precautions. We are working unconditionally and turning over every stone and leaving nothing to chance. Our hope is to be able to confirm who has committed this crime, but it should be noted that it likely will be difficult given the circumstances”, says Mats Ljungqvist.  Contact  Public Prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist is available to the media to give short comments by telephone today, Thursday, between 10:00 and 12:00.   Press Service, +46 10 562 50 20

Today two men were convicted of gross espionage at the Stockholm District Court. One of them was also convicted of unauthorised handling of secret information. The sentence for one of them was decided to life imprisonment and for the other one 9 years and 10 months imprisonment.

The court considered it confirmed that the men during nearly ten years of time, on behalf of the Russian Federation and the Russian Intelligence GRU, amongst other things acquired and disclosed information revealed to a foreign power that may cause damage to Sweden's security. The verdict ascertain that the acquisition of data took place within the framework of one the men's employment at the Security Service and at the Swedish Armed Forces. The investigation has been ongoing since 2017 by the Security Service lead by prosecutors at the National Security Unit. The indicted men have been detained since September and November 2021 respectively. After the hearing, the district court decided that they should remain in custody with restrictions. A major part of the information in the indictment is confidential. The district court has defined in the verdict that it shall proceed so. The prosecutors will therefore have limited possibilities to comment on the verdict. “We are satisfied with the district court's assessments of both the liability and penalty issues” says Mats Ljungqvist, Senior Prosecutor at the National Security Unit. “The two men have been convicted of very serious crimes against Sweden's intelligence and security system. The investigation has been characterized by very good cooperation between the authorities”, says Per Lindqvist, Chief Public Prosecutor at the National Security Unit. Case number in the Stockholm District Court: B 14349-21. Both prosecutors are available for brief comments by phone today at 13-15 o’clock. No pre-booked interviews.     Press Service, +46 10 562 50 20

Today the prosecutors Per Lindqvist and Mats Ljungqvist at the National Security Unit of the Swedish Prosecution Authority, have indicted two men for gross espionage on behalf of the Russian Federation. One of the men is also indicted for gross unauthorised handling of secret information.

A major part of the information in the indictment is confidential. The prosecutors will therefore have limited possibilities to comment on the investigation. “It has been a complex investigation concerning a crime that is very difficult to investigate and the suspicion concerns very serious criminality directed against Sweden's intelligence and security system. The offense is serious as it concerns circumstances of major importance. The information that has been obtained, transmitted and divulged could, by the fact that if it comes into the hands of a foreign power, result in detriment to Sweden’s security”, says chief public prosecutor Per Lindqvist. The indicted men have been detained since September and November 2021 respectively. Contact Public prosecutor, Mats Ljungqvist, is available to the media today between 10.30 am and 4 pm. The prosecutors will not be available to the media on any other time.       Press Service, +46 10 562 50 20

For the first time, Sweden is contributing with prosecutorial expertise to the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

Due to the war in Ukraine, Sweden has been asked by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to strengthen the organization in various missions. “Sweden was one of the first countries to respond when the request came. I am proud that our prosecutors can contribute in investigating war crimes at the ICC” says Prosecutor-General Petra Lundh. In September and October, three prosecutors will start their one-year assignments in The Hague. It has not yet been fully determined which of the ICC's investigations the Swedish prosecutors will work with. In addition to experience in war crimes investigations, the court requested prosecutors with experience in investigations into sexual offences, IT-related crime and crimes against children, as well as general experience in international work.       Press Service, +46 10 562 50 20

On Thursday 14 July at 1.30 pm, the Stockholm District Court will pass sentence in a case where an Iranian citizen is prosecuted for committing grave war crimes and murder in Iran in 1988. The prosecutors Kristina Lindhoff Carleson and Martina Winslow are available to the media after the verdict is announced by the court on Thursday afternoon.

The main hearing ended on 4 May, and the District Court decided that the suspect should remain in custody. Case number in the Stockholm District Court: B 15255-19. Press release when the prosecution was filed The prosecutors are available on Thursday for brief comments 15.00-17.00. Public prosecutor Kristina Lindhoff Carleson will be available by phone, +46 10 562 54 31. No pre- booked interviews. Public prosecutor Martina Winslow, is available for interviews in person. These must be registered in advance. Please send an inquiry to [email protected] no later than Thursday 14 July at 9 am.    Press Service, +46 10 562 50 20

Director of Public Prosecution Mikael Björk, in consultation with Chief Public Prosecutor Jim Westerberg and Senior Prosecutor Karin Lundström-Kron, has today appealed the verdict of Solna District Court (16 June 2022) in the case where a former surgeon at Karolinska University Hospital was prosecuted with aggravated assault of three persons who had received synthetic trachea implants.

The defendant was sentenced in the District Court to a conditional sentence for causing bodily harm in one of the cases. The prosecutors request, in the appeal of today, that the defendant be sentenced to imprisonment for three counts of aggravated assault or, alternatively, for causing bodily harm, aggravated offence. Even if the Court of Appeal accepts the District Court's assessment of the question of guilt, it is requested that the sentence will be set at imprisonment. “I consider that the defendant has been guilty of risk-taking of a serious nature in respect of all three injured parties. In all cases, the interventions were contrary to science and best practice. Furthermore, a wide range of circumstances clearly show that the interventions were research, as demonstrated by the evidence we have adduced. It seems clear to me that these have been completely unlawful human experiments and the penalty should be a long prison sentence, given the nature of the crime and the high penal value,” says Director of Public Prosecution Mikael Björk. According to the District Court's assessment, the judgment is based in its entirety on the necessity clause of the Penal Code. This is opposed by the prosecutors. “In our view, the three injured parties were not in danger within the meaning of the Penal Code. In order for an act to be considered necessary for the elimination of the danger, it should reasonably be required that the act in question can eliminate the threatening danger with some degree of probability. A completely unproven method involving the replacement of a vital organ with a plastic tube cannot be said to be of this kind,” says Chief Public Prosecutor Jim Westerberg. “I consider that the evidence adduced overwhelmingly supports the conclusion that in none of the three occasions there was a reasonably imminent danger that the three plaintiffs would die. One of many clear examples of this is that there was plenty of time for the synthetic tracheas to be manufactured in the UK and the US and then transported to Sweden for the planned operations," says Senior Prosecutor Karin Lundström-Kron. Case number in Solna District Court: B 10553-18. It is The Svea Court of Appeal that decides when the main hearing starts. The prosecutors are not available to the media. The appeal (in Swedish)  Press Service, +46 10 562 50 20

On Thursday 16 June at 11 am Solna District Court will pass sentence in a case where a former surgeon is prosecuted for aggravated assault of three persons who had synthetic tracheas implanted. The prosecutors are available to the media in the afternoon.

Chief Prosecutor Jim Westerberg and Senior Prosecutor Karin Lundström-Kron will be available to the media for short interviews on telephone Thursday 14-16 pm. You cannot pre-book interviews. Solna District Court case number: B 10553-18.  Contact  Jim Westerberg, interviews with Swedish media, +46 (0)10 562 70 54. Karin Lundström-Kron, interviews with Swedish and international media, +46 (0)10 562 72 10.   Press Service, +46 10 562 50 20

The press conference with chief prosecutor Jim Westerberg and senior prosecutor Karin Lundström-Kron will be held at 11.30 AM

Due to the fact that the trial has been postponed in the case where a former surgeon at Karolinska University Hospital is prosecuted for aggravated assault, the press conference with chief prosecutor Jim Westerberg and senior prosecutor Karin Lundström-Kron will be held at 11.30 AM. No pre-bookings can be made for the interviews.   Press Service, +46 10 562 50 20

Chief Prosecutor Jim Westerberg and Senior Prosecutor Karin Lundström-Kron will be available tomorrow Wednesday for short media interviews concerning the case where a former surgeon at Karolinska University Hospital is prosecuted for aggravated assault of three people who had synthetic tracheas implanted at Karolinska University Hospital.

Solna District Court case number: B 10553-18. Place and time Solna District Court, in a public space in the premises of the district court, on 4 May after the main hearing around 16:30. No pre registration is required. The prosecutors are only available in person in the district court.     Press Service, +46 10 562 50 20

Tomorrow, Wednesday 27 April at 9 a.m, the main hearing starts in Solna District Court in a case where a former surgeon at Karolinska University Hospital is prosecuted for aggravated assault of three people who had synthetic tracheas implanted at Karolinska University Hospital. All three persons have deceased.

Solna District Court case number: B 10553-18.  Chief Prosecutor Jim Westerberg and Senior Prosecutor Karin Lundström-Kron will be available for short media interviews at Solna District Court on 4 May at 5 p.m. Details concerning this will be announced next week. The prosecutors will not be available to the media before that.   Press Service, +46 10 562 50 20

Today, the prosecutor has decided to indict two representatives of the then named company Lundin Oil AB for complicity in grave war crimes in Sudan from 1999 to 2003. They are suspected of having been complicit in war crimes committed by the then Sudanese regime with the purpose of securing the company’s oil operations in southern Sudan. The prosecutors are available to the media this afternoon.

One of the representatives is indicted for complicity for the period May 1999 to March 2003, and the other for the period October 2000 to March 2003. In the prosecutor’s view, these two indicted representatives had a decisive influence on Lundin Oil’s business in Sudan. In connection with the indictment, there is also a claim to confiscate an amount of 1 391 791 000 SEK from Lundin Energy AB, which, according to the prosecutor, is the equivalent value of the profit of 720 098 000 SEK which the company made on the sale of the business in 2003. The situation in Sudan at the time of the suspected crime From 1991, Lundin Oil had business operations in Sudan. For many years, there was a civil war which was characterized by a lack of respect for international humanitarian law, i.e. the laws of armed conflict. As the country opened up for oil exploration, oil and control of the oil fields in southern Sudan became contentious issues in the civil war. In southern Sudan, Lundin Oil had, since 1997 and via a wholly-owned subsidiary, started oil exploration in an area called Block 5A, approximately 30 000 square kilometers. Until this time, this area had been relatively spared from the affects of the civil war, which had been going on for several years, but until 2003 it became one of the worst affected areas. The development after the oil exploration started According to a local peace agreement, which took effect from 1997, between the Sudanese government and several militia groups from the southern states, the responsibility for peace and security in areas including Block 5A was given to the southern states’ military forces and not the Sudanese military. In accordance with this agreement, these military forces were responsible for the security around Lundin Oil’s operations when the company started the operations in 1997. In connection with the start of the business operations, a militia group allied to the regime led a series of attacks to take control of Block 5A, but failed. These attacks led to great suffering amongst civilians. Shortly after Lundin Oil had found oil in Block 5A during 1999, the Sudanese military, together with the same militia group allied to the regime, led offensive military operations to take control of the area and create the necessary preconditions for Lundin Oil’s oil exploration. This led to series of fighting that, with short interruptions, lasted until Lundin Oil left the area during 2003. In the view of the prosecutor, the Sudanese government, through the military and militia allied to the regime, carried out a war in conflict with international humanitarian law and that, according to Swedish law, constitutes grave war crimes. ”In our view, the investigation shows that the military and its allied militia systematically attacked civilians or carried out indiscriminate attacks. For example, aerial bombardments from transport planes, shooting civilians from helicopter gunships, abducting and plundering civilians and burning entire villages and their crops so that people did not have anything to live by. Consequently, many civilians were killed, injured and displaced from Block 5A”, says Head of the Investigation, Public Prosecutor Henrik Attorps. Furthermore, the prosecutor argues that the accused, in different ways, were complicit in war crimes. It is this complicity that is now under indictment. ”Directly after the military went into Block 5A in May 1999, in breach of the local peace agreement, Lundin Oil changed its view of who should be responsible for the security around the company’s operations. The company then requested from the Sudanese government that the military should now be made responsible for the security, knowing that this meant that the military would then need to take control of Block 5A via military force. What constitutes complicity in a criminal sense is that they made these demands despite understanding or, in any case being indifferent to the military and the militia carrying out the war in a way that was forbidden according to international humanitarian law”, says Chief Public Prosecutor Krister Petersson. In the prosecutor’s view, from May 1999 the indicted individuals continued to promote crimes that the military and its allied militia were to commit to enable the continued oil operations until March 2003. Amongst other things, the company undertook vis-a-vis the Sudanese government to build roads in areas that were not in the control of the military or the militia allied to the regime. Furthermore, the company informed the government of the oil exploration planned in such areas. This required that the military and militia needed to take control of the areas via military force before the activities could start. By using such military force the military and militia allied to the regime committed crimes against the civilian population. The prosecutor’s evidence The evidence in this case is comprehensive and consists of various parts. One part concerns proving the main crime - grave war crimes – which were committed by unknown people within the Sudanese government as well as the military and the militia allied to the regime. ”The main evidence here consists of a large number of civilians who have been subject to attacks. We will also hear witnesses who followed and studied the situation in Sudan and, amongst other things, met refugees and heard their stories. Besides this, we will rely on written reports from the area, primarily from the UN and other international organisations as well as from journalists who observed the area”, says Public Prosecutor Karolina Wieslander. Additional evidence aims at proving that the indicted persons were complicit in the crimes committed. The evidence here consists of, amongst other things, how the organisation within the company and its internal reporting on the situation in Sudan looked as well as what communication took place with the Sudanese government. In this respect, the prosecution relies on several witnesses connected to the company. About the investigation The investigation started in 2010. It concerns a complex and complicated criminality which took place for several years and in a large geographic area during an ongoing civil war. During the investigation, a new civil war broke out which meant it was not possible to travel to the area. In contrast to crimes in, for example, Rwanda, the former Yugoslavia and Syria, there are no international courts or investigative mechanisms concerning Sudan, which could have supported the Swedish investigation. ”It is important that these serious crimes are not forgotten. War crimes are one of the most serious crimes that Sweden has an international obligation to investigate and bring to justice. A large number of civilians suffered as a result of the Sudanese regime’s crimes, which we argue the indicted were complicit in. Many of the civilians who survived were forced to flee their homes and never return, and still today have no idea what happened to their relatives and friends who they were separated from”, says Henrik Attorps. Facts about the investigation: • Approximately 270 interviews. • Approximately 150 persons have been interviewed. • An investigation report consisting more than 80 000 pages. Stockholm District Court case number: B 11304-14 Contact The prosecutors are available today, Thursday 11 November 13.00-15.00 for interviews in person and 15.00-16.00 for interviews by phone. All interviews must be booked in advance at [email protected] by 12.00 today. When the editorial staff has registered, we will return with an exact time for the interview. Public Prosecutor Henrik Attorps, Head of the Investigation Public Prosecutor Karolina Wieslander Chief Public Prosecutor Krister Petersson   Press Service, +46 10 562 50 20

Today, a decision has been taken to prosecute an Iranian citizen suspected of committing grave war crimes and murder in Iran during 1988. The Swedish public prosecutors Kristina Lindhoff Carleson and Martina Winslow are available for brief comments this afternoon.

Part 1: War crimes Between 1981 and 1988 there was an international armed conflict between Iran and Iraq. In the final phase of this armed conflict, Iran was attacked on several occasions, including on 26 July 1988, by an armed branch of the political organisation, Iranian People's Mujahedin. The Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khomeini, shortly afterwards issued an order to execute all prisoners held in Iranian prisons who sympathised with and were loyal in their convictions to the Mujahedin. Following this order, a large number of such prisoners were executed between 30 July and 16 August 1988 in the Gohardasht prison in Karaj, Iran. According to the indictment, at the time of these mass executions the accused held the position of assistant to the deputy prosecutor at the Gohardasht prison. The accused is suspected of participating, together with other perpetrators, in these mass executions and, as such, intentionally taking the lives of a large number of prisoners, who sympathised with the Mujahedin and, additionally, of subjecting prisoners to severe suffering which is deemed torture and inhuman treatment. The indictment further states that the Mujahedin was involved in the international armed conflict between Iran and Iraq. The Mujahedin’s attacks originated in Iraqi territory, and were carried out in cooperation with the Iraqi army. It is stated that there was a connection between the armed conflict and these mass executions, which is why these acts are deemed as a grave crime committed in violation of internationalhumanitarian law. Part 2: Murder                                                        At some point between these mass executions and 27 August 1988, the Iranian leadership decided that other political prisoners held in Iranian prisons and who sympathised with various left wing groups and were regarded as apostates by the Iranian leadership, should be executed. As a result, a large number of these prisoners were executed between 27 August and 6 September 1988 in the Gohardasht prison in Karaj, Iran. According to the indictment filed today, the accused is suspected of intentionally killing, together with other perpetrators, a large number of prisoners who sympathised with various left wing groups and who were regarded as apostates. These acts are classified as murder according to the Swedish Penal Code since they are not considered to be related to an armed conflict. “War crimes are considered to be some of the most serious criminal acts not only within our national legislation, but also within the international law. These types of crimes are regarded as so grave that, irrespective of who committed them or where they were committed, national courts are able and obligated to conduct proceedings where necessary. Therefore, legal proceedings can be initiated also in Sweden, due to international obligations and the principle of universal jurisdiction,” stated public prosecutor Kristina Lindhoff Carleson. “This extensive investigation resulting in this indictment shows that even though these acts were committed beyond Sweden’s territory and for more than three decades ago, they can be subject to legal proceedings in Sweden,” stated Public Prosecutor Kristina Lindhoff Carleson. “Swedish domestic legislation does not include crimes against humanity committed before 1 July 2014 and could not be relied on in this indictment as the alleged criminal acts took place before that date. Therefore, the indictment involves crimes against the international law i.e. war crimes as well as murder,” Kristina Lindhoff Carleson clarifies. Victims, witnesses and experts in the field from various parts of the world will be heard during the proceedings, which are expected to commence on 10 August 2021 and continue until April 2022. Case number in the Stockholm District Court: B 15255-19.   Contact  The public prosecutors are available today for brief comments between the hours of 13.00–15.00. Kristina Lindhoff Carleson, +46 10 562 54 31 Martina Winslow, +46 10 562 54 21   Press Service, +46 10 562 50 20

The Swedish Prosecution Authority´s English webpage has been updated. The purpose is to offer new content which is better adapted to foreign visitors. The webpage now contains answers to frequently asked questions about how the Swedish judicial system works, and prosecutors´ role within it.

A new part of the webpage that aims to raise awareness of the Swedish judicial system is a timeline describing the various stages from when a person is arrested to when a verdict is given. “The timeline´s aim is to guide our visitors through prosecutors´ central role, and at the same time provide knowledge about how the Swedish judicial system works,” says Karin Rosander, Director of Communication. One of the target groups who visit the webpage is foreign journalists in need of assistance in gaining knowledge of Swedish prosecutors´ role. “Our Swedish judicial system is different if you compare it to other countries. For example, we do not have a bail system, state or district public prosecutors, or a jury in Sweden. It´s important that this is clear when journalists report on Swedish cases of international interest,” says Karin Rosander. www.prosecutor.se   Contact  Director of Communication, Karin Rosander, +46 10 562 50 10.   Press Service, +46 10 562 50 20

During the period December 2017 to May 2018, the Swedish Sports Confederation was the target of repeated and comprehensive breaches of their computer system in Sweden. The offence is classified as serious breach of data secrecy. Today, the prosecutor has decided to discontinue the investigation due to the lack of the necessary preconditions for taking legal proceedings abroad or extradition to Sweden.

Under the direction of a prosecutor from the National Security Unit, the Swedish Security Service has investigated who or what has carried out the data breaches and for what purpose. The investigation has cooperated with several other nation’s security services. ”The investigation shows that the Russian military intelligence, GRU who, via its 85th Center, also known as unit 26165, has planned and carried out the serious breaches of data secrecy against the Swedish Sports Confederation. We can further state that the breaches have been a part of a Russian campaign directed against national and international anti-doping organisations such as WADA and USADA. The campaign has also been directed against FIFA,” says public prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist. The data breaches have resulted in GRU accessing Swedish athletes’ personal details, such as medical records. ”The information has been published openly and, based on these details, Swedish media have written articles which follow GRU’s narrative of discrediting athletes and sports organisations in the West,” says Mats Ljungqvist. “Against the background of parties acting for a foreign power, in this case Russia, we have reached the conclusion that the necessary preconditions for taking legal proceedings abroad or extradition to Sweden are lacking. I have, therefore, today decided to discontinue the investigation,” concludes Mats Ljungqvist. Contact Public prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist is available for the media today between 11 am to 1 pm by phone +46 10 562 54 29.   Press Service, +46 10 562 50 20

Today, a 47-year old man has been indicted for espionage. The person is suspected of meeting a Russian diplomat over a number of years with the purpose of providing information in return for money. The investigation has been undertaken by the Swedish Security Service under the direction of a prosecutor at the National Security Unit of the Swedish Prosecution Authority. The prosecutor is available for the media today.

”As a consultant at his former workplaces, I allege that he has obtained material with the purpose of providing information to a foreign power, in this case Russia. He has been well-paid for this information, and this shows the value the Russians place on the information provided. The man was apprehended whilst meeting a Russian diplomat where he had just received 27 800 Swedish crowns from the diplomat,” says the prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist. According to the indictment, the man has illegally transferred material from his work computer to his private computer and thereafter to USB memory sticks. In order to hide his activities from being logged by the IT system, he has also, amongst other things, photographed material from the screen of his work computer. In the prosecutor’s view, this case concerns a crime that places Sweden’s security at risk. ”The investigators have put in a lot of time in order to understand the material so as to assess it from the perspective of Sweden’s security. It is important to emphasise that Sweden is the injured party in this case and not the companies. This is because the suspect originally had authorisation from his employers to access the material in his position. To disseminate such company secrets which a person has access to in their position is not a crime in itself. It can, however, be espionage,” says Mats Ljungqvist. The maximum punishment for the crime of espionage is six years’ imprisonment. ”My view is that the crime is serious and, if convicted, the suspect could expect a lengthy sentence,” concludes Mats Ljungqvist. Case reference number 18657-20, Gothenburg District Court. Contact Public prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist is available for the media today until 13.30, +46 10 562 54 29.     Press Service, +46 10 562 50 20

Today, Director of Public Prosecution, Mikael Björk has issued an indictment for aggravated assault in a case where three people had synthetic tracheas implanted at Karolinska University Hospital. The prosecutor is available to the media on telephone for brief comments.

On 11 December 2018, Mikael Björk decided to reopen a previously discontinued investigation into two cases of causing physical injury, serious crime. Both cases concern two individuals who had synthetic tracheas implanted. During the reopened investigation, the investigation into another case of causing physical injury, serious crime, has been reopened. This concerns a third individual who has had a synthetic trachea implanted. - During the reopened investigation, additional written evidence was obtained and more interviews were held with individuals in Sweden, Belgium, the United Kingdom, the United States and Spain. As a result of these interviews and the written evidence obtained, it has become clear to me that the operations were carried out in conflict with science and proven experience, and were therefore not carried out based on any legal form of medical care or licensed research study, says Director of Public Prosecution Mikael Björk at the Development Centre at the Swedish Prosecution Authority. - The operations, which have caused the three injured parties serious physical injuries and great suffering, have been carried out with absolutely no legal basis. I have made the assessment that the three operations are therefore to be judged as aggravated assault rather than causing physical injury, serious crime, and that it is the former surgeon at Karolinska University Hospital who alone should bear the criminal responsibility. Upon reinterview, he has been notified that he is suspected on reasonable grounds of aggravated assault in three cases. These criminal suspicions, as well as the original suspicions of causing physical injury, serious crime, are completely denied by the suspect, says Mikael Björk. Mikael Björk will not currently provide further details as to why he believes the operations were carried out with no legal basis and are therefore to be judged as three cases of aggravated assault. These details and explanations will first be made at the upcoming main hearing. - I have assessed that the degree of evidence provides sufficient reason to issue an indictment for aggravated assault in three cases and I have, therefore, earlier today submitted such an indictment to Solna District Court, says Mikael Björk. During large parts of the reopened investigation, Mikael Björk has been assisted by two prosecutors. - We have also received comprehensive and extremely competent investigative assistance from the National Operative Department at the Swedish Police Authority, says Mikael Björk. Solna District Court case number: B 10553–18 Contact  Director of Public Prosecution Mikael Björk will be available for short media interviews via phone today, 29 September, between 10.00 and 11.30. Phone: +46 10 562 71 02 The next occasion Mikael Björk will be available for the media will be following the trial’s final day. The date and time will be communicated via a new press release. Solna District Court sets the date for the main hearing. As of now, this date is not known.     Press Service, +46 10 562 50 20

Tomorrow, Friday 10 July, the Stockholm District Court will pronounce judgment in the court matter with Sweden’s former ambassador to China who has been indicted with arbitrariness during negotiations with a foreign power. The prosecutor will be available to the media on telephone.

Case number at Stockholm District Court: B 3911-19. Contact  Public Prosecutor Henrik Olin is available for brief conversations to the media tomorrow, Friday, by telephone between 12:00-13:00 on +46 (0)10-562 53 85.   Press Service, +46 10 562 50 20

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Chief Prosecutor Krister Petersson today, Wednesday 10 June, decided to discontinue the investigation into the murder of the former prime minister of Sweden, Olof Palme, which dates back to 28 February 1986 on the grounds that the "suspect is deceased”.

Chief Prosecutor Krister Petersson announced his decision during a digital press conference together with the Swedish Police Authority on Wednesday morning. According to Petersson, the killing is believed to have been performed by the lone perpetrator, Stig Engström. “As the person is deceased, I cannot bring charges against him and have decided to discontinue the investigation. In my opinion, Stig Engström is the prime suspect. My assessment is that, after oveer 34 years, it is difficult to believe that any further investigation would provide us with any new details and therefore I believe we have come as far as one could expect”, says Chief Prosecutor Krister Petersson. In the investigation, testimonies, statements and witness interviews were all analysed. To a large extent, we have been at the mercy of the police investigative work that was performed closer to the time of the crime. The current Palme investigation has not been able to repeat such investigative work. “This concerns, among other things, the descriptions provided of Stig Engström which correspond well with several witness statements. His own statement concerning his actions during the period of time the crime was committed does not reconcile with statements provided by others. The evidence strongly suggests he was at the crime scene, but in a completely different role than the one he wished to present. All in all, there are a number of circumstances that point to Engström. Had the current Palme investigation group been in charge 34 years ago, Stig Engström would have been remanded in custody had he been unable to provide satisfactory explanations for his movements and actions. My assessment is that there would have been sufficient evidence to have him detained in custody”, says Chief Prosecutor Krister Petersson. “At one time we had a reasonable chance of securing the murder weapon as well as other evidence, and to investigate whether he had acted as part of a wider conspiracy. Now this is not possible”, Krister Petersson concludes. Head of Investigation Hans Melander, who also attended the press conference, says that the Palme investigation is one of the world's largest investigations. “It is by far Sweden's largest criminal investigation and is sometimes compared with the murder of JFK and Lockerbie bombing. It has been ongoing since 1986 and contains 22,430 different points of interest. 90,000 people are included in the preliminary investigation of which 40,000 are named. More than 10,000 people have been interviewed, many of them several times. More than 4,000 vehicles were investigated. And 134 people have confessed to committing the murder, including 29 directly to the police”, says Head of Investigation Hans Melander. The prosecutor and police are only available for interviews for those who have pre-registered. The decision translated into English Photo of Krister Petersson     Press Service, +46 10 562 50 20

The Swedish Prosecution Authority and the Swedish Police Authority invite the media to a digital press conference on Wednesday 10 June at 9.30 am. Chief Prosecutor Krister Petersson will present his decision in the case and, together with Head of the Investigation Hans Melander, he will provide details concerning the investigation.

The press conference will be held digitally and broadcasted on both the Swedish Prosecution Authority’s and the Swedish Police Authority’s YouTube channels respectively. The press conference will be interpreted into English and broadcasted on this YouTube-channel. There will be the opportunity to conduct individual interviews afterwards. This means that journalists cannot be physically present at the press conference. The reason for this is that we estimate that more than 50 people would be present in the conference room during a physical press conference. Pre-registered journalists will be able to place questions in an open Q&A session via a link directly after the presentations. Individual interviews afterwards Following the press conference, Chief Prosecutor Krister Petersson will be available via Skype or telephone. This is due to him belonging to a risk group. Head of the Investigation Hans Melander will be physically present to the media after the press conference. Compulsory registration to question and answer session and individual interviews Journalists who wish to participate in the Q&A session must register in advance. One person per media house will have the opportunity to place questions during the open session. Due to time constraints, each journalist can place only one or two questions. Register at [email protected] by e-mailing a picture of your press credential or a certificate from your editorial client. When you receive confirmation of your registration, you will also receive information on how to connect digitally to the press conference and how the Q&A session will operate. Journalists who wish to interview Chief Prosecutor Krister Petersson afterwards must register at [email protected]. Please provide the same information as for the Q&A session, as well as to which e-mail address you wish to receive the invitation. You will receive a time slot in your final invitation. If you wish to interview Head of Investigation, Hans Melander, who will be physically present following the press conference, please send an interview inquiry to [email protected]. All registrations must be received before 3 pm on Monday 8 June. Please note that if there are an exceptional number of questions during the Q&A session on 10 June and/or requests for individual interviews, then due to time constraints we may have to limit the number of journalists who are able to place questions. Chief Prosecutor Krister Petersson will also be available for interviews on 11 and 12 June at 10 am–3 pm. If necessary, we will get back to journalists who could not be prioritized on 10 June. Press Contact: Press Service, the Swedish Prosecution Authority, +46 10 562 50 20 Annika Collin, Press Manager, the Swedish Prosecution Authority +46 10 562 50 15 Anna Knöfel Magnusson, Press Officer, the Swedish Prosecution Authority +46 10 562 51 99 Press Service, the Swedish Police Authority +46 10 563 91 70     Press Service, +46 10 562 50 20

The prosecutor intends to take a decision concerning prosecution matters in the Palme investigation before 1 July. Please find below information for the media regarding the decision.

The Swedish Prosecution Authority and the Swedish Police Authority will issue invitations in due time before the decision. The press conference will be held digitally, due to the coronavirus pandemic. Afterwards there will be opportunities to conduct individual interviews with both the police and prosecutor. This means that journalists cannot be physically present at the press conference. The reason for this is that we estimate that more than 50 people would be present in the conference room during a physical meeting. There will be simultaneous interpretation into English. Both audio and video will be linked, which allows radio and TV companies to broadcast the press conference live. The media will be able to participate via a link, through which it will be possible to place questions during an open Q&A session at the end of the press conference. Chief Prosecutor, Krister Petersson and Head of the Investigation, Hans Melander, are not available to the media before the press conference. Individual interviews afterwards After the press conference, Chief Prosecutor Krister Petersson will be available to the media via Skype or telephone. This is due to him belonging to a risk group. Head of the Investigation, Hans Melander, will be physically present to the media after the press conference. You will receive information about place and time later. Instructions and times for the individual interviews will be included in the press conference invitation. Media contacts Annika Collin, the Swedish Prosecution Authority +46 10 562 50 15 Anna Knöfel Magnusson, the Swedish Prosecution Authority +46 10 562 51 99 Press Service, the Swedish Police Authority +46 10 56 391 70     Press Service, +46 10 562 50 20

Sweden’s former ambassador to China has been indicted with arbitrariness during negotiations with a foreign power. The prosecutor will be available to the media on telephone this afternoon.

The ambassador is suspected of having acted outside the bounds of the authority granted to her during a meeting on a consular matter regarding the Swedish citizen Gui Minhai who is currently imprisoned in China. At that meeting, the ambassador was in contact with persons representing the interests of the Chinese State.  “An ambassador is the head of a public authority with a far-reaching mandate to represent Sweden; nonetheless, even ambassadors must adhere to certain guidelines and instructions issued by the Government Offices of Sweden and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. In this specific consular matter, she has exceeded her mandate and has therefore rendered herself criminally liable,” says Hans Ihrman, Deputy Chief Public Prosecutor at the National Security Unit. “A charge of arbitrariness during negotiations with a foreign power is unprecedented in modern times,” says Hans Ihrman. An investigation was launched on 14 February 2019 after the Swedish Security Service filed a criminal complaint.   Case number at Stockholm District Court: B 3911-19.   Contact  Deputy Chief Prosecutor Hans Ihrman is available for brief conversations to the media today, Monday, by telephone between 14:00-15:00 on +46 (0)10-562 53 85. The prosecutor will not be available at any other time than that stated above in connection with bringing this prosecution.   Press Service, +46 10 562 50 20

Deputy Director of Public Prosecution Eva-Marie Persson has today decided to discontinue the investigation regarding Julian Assange. The reason for this decision is that the evidence has weakened considerably due to the long period of time that has elapsed since the events in question.

The preliminary investigation concerning allegations against Julian Assange was resumed on 13 May 2019 after Assange left the Ecuadorian embassy in London. The investigation relates to a suspected rape committed in August 2010. A number of investigative measures have been conducted since May, largely in the form of witness interviews. The preliminary investigation has now been discontinued, the motive for which is that the evidence has weakened considerably due to the long period of time that has elapsed since the events in question. "I would like to emphasise that the injured party has submitted a credible and reliable version of events. Her statements have been coherent, extensive and detailed; however, my overall assessment is that the evidential situation has been weakened to such an extent that that there is no longer any reason to continue the investigation," says Eva-Marie Persson, Deputy Director of Public Prosecution. Background In 2010, being suspected of committing sexual offences in Sweden, Julian Assange fled to the United Kingdom, eventually taking up residency in the Ecuadorian embassy, where he remained from 19 June 2012 until 11 April 2019. In 2017, the public prosecutor responsible for the case at that time discontinued the investigation, as the prosecutor had exhausted all possibilities to make progress. After Assange’s removal from the embassy in spring 2019, the investigation was reopened at the request of the counsel for the injured party in Sweden.   Translation of the prosecutor's decision (pdf). Chronology of the case (link). Case number at Uppsala District Court: B 3167-19.   Press Service, +46 10 562 50 20

Deputy Director of Public Prosecution Eva-Marie Persson will hold a press conference on the Assange case on 19 November 2019.

On 11 April 2019, the counsel for the injured party requested the Swedish preliminary investigation concerning rape to be resumed. The case has been handled by Deputy Director of Public Prosecution Eva-Marie Persson at the Swedish Prosecution Authority’s Development Centre in Gothenburg. At the press conference, the prosecutor will inform about the investigative measures taken and provide new information. The press conference will take place 19 November at 2 pm, at Folkets Hus, Barnhusgatan 12-14, Stockholm, room 300. Entrance no earlier than 1:30 pm. Please note only accredited journalists can attend. Bring your press ID or certificate from editorial staff. Sign up at [email protected] by 19 November at 8 am at the latest. The prosecutor’s presentation will be interpreted from Swedish to English. There will be opportunities for group interviews after the presentation. Questions will also be interpreted from Swedish to English, and vice versa, if needed. For further information about the case, see https://www.aklagare.se/en/news-and-press/media/the-assange-matter/ Contact  Press Service, +46 10 562 50 20 Press Manager Annika Collin, +46 10 562 50 15 Press Officer Anna Knöfel Magnusson, +46 10 562 51 99

An Iranian citizen has today been detained by Stockholm District Court, on probable cause suspected of crime in Iran against international law, gross crime, and murder during the period of 28 July – 31 August 1988 in Teheran, Iran.

The prosecutor responsible for the investigation is Senior Public Prosecutor Karolina Wieslander at the National Unit Against Organised Crime. On 11 December, at the latest, the prosecutor needs to decide whether or not to indict the person in question.   Case number in Stockholm District Court: B 15255-19.     Press Service +46 10 562 50 20

A 46-year-old Swedish-Iraqi citizen has today been prosecuted for refugee espionage at Stockholm District Court. The prosecutor is available to the media.

The man is indicted for, during the period April 2015 to February 2019, collecting personal information about opposition Iranians belonging to the Ahwazi community with the intention of conveying the information to the government of Iran. “I have prosecuted the man for, under cover of representing an Arabic evening paper, having photographed and filmed Ahwazi conference delegates and demonstration participants in Belgium, the Netherlands and Sweden. He is also claimed to have infiltrated Ahwazi fora on the internet and thus obtained opposition persons’ addresses and telephone numbers,” says Senior Public Prosecutor Hans-Jörgen Hanström. The man is also prosecuted for having photographed car registration plates and log-on information for routers, during home visits. The prosecutor states that part of the information has been conveyed to representatives of the Iranian intelligence service via the internet or at personal meetings, including in Teheran. The man who has been prosecuted denies the offence. The preliminary investigation report is quite extensive, some 1,700 pages, and parts of it is confidential. The preliminary investigation was performed by the National Security Unit at The Swedish Prosecution Authority and the Swedish Security Service. Crime classification: Illegal intelligence activities against persons, serious offence. Proceedings in the district court are estimated to take nine days. Case number at Stockholm District Court: B 2890-19. Contact: Senior Public Prosecutor, Hans-Jörgen Hanström, is available to the media today Wednesday from 1pm to 3pm on +46 (0)10 562 53 85.       Press Service +46 10 562 50 20

Director of Public Prosecution Mikael Björk provides a brief case update on the preliminary investigation concerning the two patients, now deceased, who had a synthetic trachea surgically implanted.

On 11 December 2018, Director of Public Prosecution Mikael Björk took the decision to reopen a discontinued preliminary investigation concerning a surgeon previously employed at Karolinska University Hospital. The suspected crime was a gross offence of causing bodily harm. The preliminary investigation is still underway and has taken longer than expected. During the course of the resumed preliminary investigation, investigative measures have been taken both in Sweden and abroad. About 20 interviews have been carried out and additional interviews of, for example, the suspected surgeon are to be conducted. “The material in the preliminary investigation is very extensive. The final serving to the surgeon and his public counsel is going to take a long time and therefore this process has already commenced even though not all investigative measures have yet been taken. At the moment, it is too early to say when a decision regarding the charge can be taken since it depends on the result of the remaining investigative measures. Our aim is that a decision can be made during the first quarter of next year,” says Director of Public Prosecutions Mikael Björk. Director of Public Prosecution Mikael Björk is not available to the media. Any new information will be made public via a press release.   Press Service +46 10 562 50 20

Over the course of the summer, a total of seven witness interviews have been conducted as part of the investigation concerning Julian Assange. An analysis of this material is now underway, after which the public prosecutor will decide how to proceed with the case.

Assange is suspected of committing a rape in 2010. The investigation was reopened on 13 May 2019. “During the summer, we have conducted interviews intended to verify the evidence, as nine years have passed since the suspected crime. We have concentrated on the inquiries possible to conduct here in Sweden. The interviews are now being transcribed and analysed. We have mainly re-interviewed those individuals who were interviewed in 2010, although two of the persons interviewed have not previously been interviewed,” says Deputy Director of Public Prosecution Eva-Marie Persson. What happens now? “Once we have analysed the interviews, I will decide how to proceed with the case. The investigation may then be discontinued or I may decide to conduct further inquiries. If I make the assessment that the next step is to interview Julian Assange, I will issue a European Investigation Order, in which case I shall write to the British authorities with a request to conduct an interview,” says Eva-Marie Persson. Once the prosecutor has reached a decision, this will be communicated via a press release. The limitation period expires on 20 August 2020. If a prosecution is commenced before that date, the period of limitation will be extended on condition that Assange is served with a summons before 20 August 2020. Contact Deputy Director of Public Prosecution Eva-Marie Persson is not available to the media today, Monday.      Press Service +46 10 562 50 20

Public prosecutor Daniel Suneson has decided not to appeal the verdict of Stockholm District Court imposing conditional sentences for assault on an American artist and two other individuals.

 “I have accepted the District Court’s evaluation of the evidence, in as much as the use of whole or broken bottles during the assault has not been proven. In my opinion, the criminal act has a somewhat higher penal value than the two months decided by the District Court; however, after due consideration, I have chosen not to appeal the verdict. All three defendants have in fact been brought to justice for assault and the District Court has dismissed the plea of self-defence, something that I believe was important to clarify in this particular case,” says public prosecutor Daniel Suneson. The assault in question took place in Stockholm on 30 June and three men were remanded in custody on 5 July on suspicion of having committed the crime. All three were released from custody on the conclusion of the trial. On 14 August, they were given conditional sentences for assault by the District Court. Link to press release from the Stockholm District Court. Stockholm District Court, Case No. B 9283-19 The public prosecutor is available to the media today, Tuesday, from 9:00 until 10:30 on +46 (0)10 562 55 93.    Press Service +46 10 562 50 20

The artist, and two men in his company, were prosecuted for assault. Stockholm District Court will give judgment in the case on Wednesday 14 August at 14.00. The prosecutor will be available after the judgment has been announced.

The three men are suspected of committing assault of a 19-year-old man in central Stockholm on 30 June. After the trial was concluded on 2 August, the men were released from custody by Stockholm District Court. The court will issue the judgement on 14 August at 14.00. Senior Public Prosecutor Daniel Suneson is available per telephone after the judgment has been issued. Case number at Stockholm District Court: B 9283-19 Contact: Senior Public Prosecutor Daniel Suneson, City Public Prosecution Office, Stockholm, +46 10 562 55 93. Available to the media on 14 August at 15.00-16.30. Press Service: +46 10 562 50 20