Court Acquits Henrik Landerholm of Negligence Over Classified Documents

Henrik Landerholm, the former national security advisor of Sweden, has been acquitted of gross negligence charges related to classified documents left unsecured. The ruling was delivered by the Attunda District Court on September 5, 2025, following a three-day trial held in August.

The court found that Landerholm had indeed acted negligently by leaving sensitive documents in an unlocked safe during a training course at Gällöfsta Kursgård in March 2023. However, the key issue was whether this negligence amounted to gross negligence, which carries criminal implications. Chief Judge Lennart Christianson stated, "It has not been a matter of conscious risk-taking," underscoring the absence of aggravating circumstances that would elevate the oversight to criminal conduct.

Landerholm's defense argued that he was unaware of the sensitive nature of the documents, citing extreme stress and a heavy workload at the time. During the proceedings, Landerholm expressed that he did not recognize the documents as classified, which influenced the court's decision. Prosecutors maintained Landerholm’s extensive experience should have prompted him to secure the documents properly, yet the court concluded he acted due to simple forgetfulness rather than gross negligence.

The legitimacy of his actions was further complicated when it was revealed that the documents had been found by a cleaner connected to a violent extremist group, sparking concerns about national security. Despite the potential dangers posed by the negligence, the court did not establish the specific security classification of the documents due to their confidential nature.

In light of the acquittal, Landerholm's lawyer welcomed the verdict, while the prosecutor suggested that an appeal could be forthcoming. Additionally, this case has significant ramifications, pausing an investigation that could implicate Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson until the prosecution resolves its next steps regarding an appeal.