A/HRC/29/13 Introduction 1. The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 of 18 June 2007, held its twenty-first session from 19 to 30 January 2015. The review of Sweden was held at the 11th meeting, on 26 January 2015. The delegation of Sweden was headed by Annika Söder, State Secretary, Ministry for Foreign Affairs. At its 17th meeting, held on 29 January 2015, the Working Group adopted the report on Sweden. 2. On 13 January 2015, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of Sweden: Argentina, Latvia and the Republic of Korea. 3. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to resolution 5/1 and paragraph 5 of the annex to resolution 16/21, the following documents were issued for the review of Sweden: (a) A national report submitted/written presentation made in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/21/SWE/1); (b) A compilation prepared by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) (A/HRC/WG.6/21/SWE/2); (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/21/SWE/3). 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by Azerbaijan, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Ecuador, Israel, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, Spain and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was transmitted to Sweden through the troika. Those questions are available on the extranet of the universal periodic review (UPR). I. Summary of the proceedings of the review process A. Presentation by the State under review 5. The delegation of Sweden said that promoting and respecting human rights for all was a core value and a central priority of the Government. Sweden appreciated that civil society, including organizations representing indigenous peoples and national minorities, had contributed to the preparations for the current UPR session. 6. In a statement of government policy, made in October 2014, the Prime Minister had emphasized that racism and prejudices in society restricted people’s lives. Furthermore, he had emphasized that there must be no place in Sweden for anti-Semitism, antiziganism, Islamophobia or Afrophobia. The delegation explained that the fight against racism and xenophobia involved awareness-raising, government contributions to non-governmental organizations, and continuing dialogue with groups subjected to racism and xenophobia. The Swedish police was currently carrying out an assignment to bolster its efforts to combat hate crime. 7. The delegation stated that it was essential to ensure the free exchange of opinions. Although freedom of expression and freedom of the press were enshrined in the Constitution of Sweden, constitutional laws also clearly regulated the content of publications in such a case as the criminal offence of agitation against a national or ethnic group. 3