Amid ongoing concerns for national security, Sweden made the decision to expel an unnamed Chinese journalist, based on credible evidence, as reported by Swedish media. Notably, the 57-year-old journalist had resided in Sweden for almost two decades, has family in the country, and since October 2023, had been under police custody.
The decision was endorsed by the Swedish Security Service, commonly known as Säpo, believing that the journalist posed a significant threat to Sweden, consequently engaging in activities that jeopardized the country’s security for more than ten years. Their statement attracted considerable media attention.
Despite this, the journalist’s representative, lawyer Leutrim Kadriu, argued that the serious depiction of his client by the Swedish authorities was founded on inaccurate information. Kadriu acknowledged that his client had indeed been in contact with the Chinese Embassy and connected individuals in Sweden.
This case isn’t the first involving the expulsion of a journalist from a country. Examples include the recent case in March when Russia elected not to renew the visa of Spanish journalist Xavier Colás, giving him a day’s notice to leave the country, as reported by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).
These incidents suggest a rising trend, aligning with concerns around “threats to media freedom” within the EU. This viewpoint was echoed in a report authored by Liberties, a Berlin-based NGO tasked with preserving and promoting the human rights of all individuals within the EU.
In light of such events, it’s worth acknowledging Article 11 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU, which stipulates that everyone has the right to freedom of expression, further explicating that the freedom and pluralism of the media shall be respected.