Appeal Filed After Swedish Court Dismisses Case Against Henrik Landerholm
Stockholm, Sweden - Prosecutors have appealed a district courtS decision to dismiss charges against Henrik Landerholm, a former official accused of carelessness with secret details, according to reports. The appeal follows a ruling by Attunda District Court that found Landerholm’s actions did not cause harm to Sweden’s security.
The case centers on allegations that Landerholm improperly handled classified material.While prosecutors argued the sensitivity of the documents warranted criminal charges to underscore the importance of security protocols,Landerholm maintained his innocence,attributing the situation to an unsustainable work surroundings. The potential penalty for carelessness with secret information in Sweden ranges from a fine to a maximum of one year in prison.
The district court’s judgment specifically noted that no one had accessed the information, mitigating potential security risks. “In the judgment, I am particularly pleased that the district court considers that no one has taken part in the information and that my action thus did not cause any harm to the security of the kingdom,” Landerholm stated in a comment following the initial ruling.
The charge of “carelessness with secret task” differs from espionage in that it does not require intent to benefit a foreign power, only gross negligence in handling classified information. The Security Police investigate suspected cases, with prosecutors from the National Unit for Security cases leading preliminary investigations. A 2017 case involving a former director general at the Swedish Transport Agency, who received a criminal offense for similar negligence related to outsourced IT operations, remains a prominent example of the potential consequences.
Landerholm has directed all inquiries to his lawyer,Johan Eriksson,who is currently being contacted for comment. The appeal will now proceed thru the Swedish legal system, with the next steps involving review by a higher court.
