Amnesty International

Sweden

 January - December 2002

2001 EU summit in Gothenburg

By the first anniversary of the Gothenburg summit in June, investigations into the actions of the demonstrators had led to the conviction of 58 individuals, many of them on charges of rioting. Some of the sentences of imprisonment imposed were long, and apparently harsher than the average for analogous offences. Most of those convicted were sentenced to prison terms of one to two years. On appeal, of 35 cases heard, in 18 the sentences were reduced, in 13 they were upheld and in four they were increased. In four cases which went to the Supreme Court, the sentences were reduced.

Several of those charged in connection with the summit disturbances were reportedly held in prolonged solitary confinement during pre-trial detention and denied prompt access to legal counsel.

The first and only prosecutions of police officers in connection with human rights violations during the Gothenburg summit resulted in the acquittals in December of four police officers charged with misconduct. The prosecuting authorities did not appeal against the acquittals. The officers tried were in charge of the police operation at Schillerska school, where people were allegedly arbitrarily detained and ill-treated by police officers. However, there was public concern about the fact that criminal charges were not brought against the commanding officer. The Parliamentary Ombudsman reopened an investigation into police actions at Hvitfeldska school. One police officer was under investigation on suspicion of misconduct.

The Gothenburg Committee investigating the disturbances surrounding the summit was due to report in early 2003.

• The investigation into the police shooting of Hannes Westberg, one of the demonstrators seriously injured by police, was reopened in November. Hannes Westberg was himself prosecuted for throwing stones at the police. At his trial, it was alleged that police had tampered with video evidence, adding sound effects to make his actions appear more threatening.

January - June 2001

Police shootings and allegations of ill-treatment during the EU summit in Gothenburg

AI received reports that during the European Union summit in Gothenburg on 14 to 16 June 2001 the police used excessive force during the anti-globalization demonstrations, some of which degenerated into violence and caused injuries to people and significant damage to property. It was reported in the media that 118 people were injured, including 56 police officers; among them 43 people were hospitalized including a policeman with a serious head injury caused by a rock hurled by a protester. Although AI does not condone violent attacks on the police, the police, as law enforcement officials, are obliged to act at all times in accordance with national law and international treaties which have been ratified by Sweden, as well as other well-established international standards.
In particular, AI was concerned that the police used live ammunition, and that as a consequence, three people suffered gunshot wounds on Friday evening, 15 June. It was alleged that the firing of shots at demonstrators was not preceded by warning shots. The use by police of firearms in these circumstances may have violated international standards, including the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials which protect the right to life and prescribe the circumstances in which firearms may be used. According to these principles, which have been accepted internationally, law enforcement officials shall only use firearms if other means remain ineffective or without any promise of achieving the intended result. Firearms may be used against people only after giving warning, in order to prevent death or serious injuries, where less extreme means are insufficient to achieve such objectives. In doing so, law enforcement officials must respect and preserve human life, and minimize damage and injury. Firearms may only be used in the dispersal of violent assemblies when less dangerous means are not practicable, and only to the minimum extent necessary. The principles underscore that intentional lethal use of firearms may be made only when it is strictly unavoidable in order to protect life.
AI urged the government to initiate an independent investigation into the full circumstances of the shootings. The investigation should be prompt, thorough, and impartial, and its scope, methods and findings should be made public. The organization also urged the government to take all necessary measures to ensure that the police are adequately equipped and trained to employ legitimate non-lethal methods of crowd control, and that they are subject to strict regulations regarding the use of such methods, and to a strict system of accountability.
The organization was concerned about allegations that police used excessive force against demonstrators who were not involved in violent protest, including beatings with batons. The organization was also concerned about reports that police officers kicked or beat people with batons after they had been detained and, in some instances, restrained with their hands tied behind their back, lying down on the ground. Furthermore, it was reported that people were detained arbitrarily without charge, in some instances for many hours, during police actions at two schools. Up to 100 people have made complaints against the police, including for ill-treatment or illegal detention. The complaints of illegal detention appeared to stem from police actions in Hvitfeldska and Schillerska schools, where many of the people participating in the events surrounding the summit were attending meetings or sleeping on floors. Allegations of ill-treatment were also made in connection with the police actions.
AI received the following accounts of what allegedly occurred in the two schools.

• Hvitfeldska Gymnasiet (school) was apparently roped off in the late morning on 14 June by the police who were reportedly searching for weapons. All the people inside were detained and not allowed to leave. People outside were not allowed to enter; instead many of those who tried to enter were reportedly searched (including female protesters being searched by male officers), put on buses, driven away from the area and told not to return to the school. There was apparently no explanation given and people began to get angry about the police action and to protest. That same evening, those people who were at Hvitfeldska school, who refused to show their identity cards or to allow themselves to be searched were arrested and transferred to buses where they were held in detention until the next morning. About 240 people were held on the buses. Some people claimed that they had been detained for about 19 hours, at the school and then in the buses.
• AI also received reports that on Saturday evening, 16 June, armed police entered Schillerska Gymnasiet (school) and shouted at those present to lie down on the floor. After about 20 minutes the police led the people out of the school and ordered them to lie down on the ground, which apparently was wet because it had rained. People lay on the wet ground, some of them crying and shaking, for about an hour. Some people claimed that if they tried to look up, they were told to keep quiet and look down. Eye-witnesses claimed that some people were beaten with batons as they lay, with their hands tied behind their back, on the ground. One person claimed he was kicked because he did not hold his hands behind his neck properly. A Greek journalist told AI that although he twice informed police that he was a journalist and in the school to interview people, he was also arrested and forced to lie face down on the wet ground with his hands tied behind his back for an hour; he alleged that, while lying down, when he tried to talk to a policeman he was hit with a baton on the head and on the arms. The beating resulted in the journalist suffering from concussion. Around 70 to 75 people were detained, identified, filmed and released a few hours later. Newspaper reports afterwards stated that the police had searched the school and everyone present because they were looking for three people who were said to be heavily armed.

According to reports received by the organization, over 500 people were detained or arrested by police, the majority of whom were subsequently released. AI has received reports that among those still detained pending investigation or trial some people were kept in isolation, and that they were denied their mail or books sent from their families. AI asked to be informed by the government of the nature of the investigations into allegations of police use of ill-treatment and excessive force towards demonstrators, and of arbitrary detention.