It appears that Sweden generally thought to be against torturer and human rights violations have changed. I would like to point out that many cooperated witht eh exterminations of WWII-directly or indirectly-How did that happen? Is this a similiar pattern that seems to be spreading.



Last Update: Saturday, May 21, 2005. 2:19pm (AEST)
Sweden found to have breached torture convention

The UN Committee on Torture has found that Sweden breached an international anti-torture accord when it deported a suspected Islamic militant to Egypt despite concerns he may face abuse there.

The Swedish Government says the allegations are "serious" and it would "study them carefully".

In December 2001, Sweden expelled Ahamed Hussein Mustafa Kamil Agiza.

The UN committee, which oversees respect for the International Convention against Torture, says the move went against rules that governments should stop people from being put at risk of torture.

It was acting on a complaint lodged in 2003 on behalf of Agiza, who is serving a prison sentence in Egypt.

"The committee considers at the outset that it was known, or should have been known, to (Sweden) at the time of the complainant´s removal that Egypt resorted to consistent and widespread use of torture against detainees," the panel said in its ruling.

Swedish news agency TT quotes Barbro Holmberg, Minister for Migration, as saying: "These are serious criticisms, we will study them carefully to see how they can guide us in the future."

The decision is a blow to Sweden, which normally prides itself on a good human rights record.

Agiza and Egyptian human rights groups claimed he had been tortured regularly since he returned to his homeland.

Agiza, today aged 42, claimed asylum in Sweden in 2000.

- AFP