Sweden expels Chinese journalist deemed ‘serious threat to security’
- The unnamed 57-year-old, was arrested by the Swedish security service in October and expelled last week, Swedish media reported. She is banned from returning
- The woman arrived in Sweden some 20 years ago, held a residence permit and was married to a Swedish man, with whom she has children
Sweden has expelled a Chinese journalist who has been categorised by the authorities as a “serious threat to security.”
The Swedish media outlets Göteborgs-Posten and SVT both reported the expulsion on Monday.
The journalist was said to have been in close contact with Chinese diplomats in Sweden for several years. SVT reported she was named last year in a report by a think tank about Chinese foreign media with close links to the Chinese Communist Party and pro-Chinese “lobbying.”
The media outlets reported that the unnamed 57-year-old woman, who denied all the accusations, came to Sweden almost 20 years ago, where she is said to have married a Swedish man. She is reported to have been in close contact with the Chinese embassy and organised trips by Chinese delegations to Sweden.
She has been held in custody since October 2023, according to the reports. The Swedish Migration Agency then decided to deport the woman. She appealed the decision, but it was rejected by a Swedish court.
Göteborgs-Posten and SVT reported that the Swedish government decided last Thursday to deport the journalist permanently and for life. According to her lawyer, the Chinese woman denies posing a threat to Sweden’s national security.
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Her lawyer, Leutrim Kadriu, told SVT the woman doesn’t believe she poses a threat to Sweden.
