A/HRC/15/11
10.
Freedom of expression, freedom of the press and freedom of religion were enshrined
in the Constitution. Censorship of written media had been prohibited since 1949. According
to the Freedom of the Press Act, interventions against the contents of publications were
allowed regarding cases of incitement to racial hatred.
11.
The fight against discrimination was a priority. The most recent initiative was the
new Discrimination Act, which reinforced monitoring and included two new grounds of
discrimination, age and transgender identity or expression. The Act had introduced
protection in areas not previously covered, such as discrimination in the public sector.
12.
Sweden remained committed to the fight against torture and was a party to the most
far-reaching supervisory mechanisms. Sweden had received visits from both the
Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and the European Committee for the Prevention of
Torture. The crime of torture had been penalized under several provisions in the Penal
Code, including aggravated assault.
13.
The judicial system was based on the principle of free examination of evidence.
Procedural safeguards effectively excluded any evidence obtained under torture.
14.
The Aliens Act stipulated that refusal of entry to or the expulsion of an alien may
never be enforced when there are reasonable grounds for assuming that the alien would be
in danger of suffering the death penalty or being subjected to torture or ill treatment.
15.
Sweden has a generous migration policy. The recent increase in the number of
unaccompanied asylum-seeking children had put reception facilities under considerable
strain; however, the Government was consulting with municipalities to address that issue.
16.
All asylum-seeking children had the same rights to education and child care, and
were entitled to health care on the same footing with other children. A Government inquiry
was investigating how the right to subsidized health care could be expanded.
17.
The aim of Swedish gender equality policy was to change systems and conditions so
that women and men could enjoy the same power and opportunites and were able to
influence their own lives. Measures undertaken included an action plan on prostitution and
trafficking for sexual purposes and a strategy on gender equality in the labour market.
18.
Violence against women, including sexual violence, was still a problem. In 2007, a
national action plan was adopted to combat violence perpetrated by men against women,
violence and oppression in the name of honour, and violence in same-sex relationships. A
law prohibiting the purchase of sexual services was an important tool in preventing
trafficking and sexual exploitation.
19.
The Sami Parliament had been established in 1993. The Government continued to
study the ratification of ILO Convention No. 169, but all possible legal consequences
would have to be further clarified.
20.
Sweden had adopted two national human rights action plans: one covering the
period 2002-2004, and one for 2006-2009. The Government had appointed a Delegation on
Human Rights to achieve full respect for human rights. The Delegation would submit its
final report in September 2010. In that context, the establishment of an independent
national human rights institution would be discussed.
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