Prosecution Appeals Acquittal of Henrik Landerholm Over Classified Documents

Prosecutors appeal the acquittal of Henrik Landerholm for negligence over classified documents.

    Key details

  • • Prosecutors appeal Landerholm's acquittal for negligence.
  • • Landerholm was found not guilty of gross negligence in September.
  • • The incident involved leaving classified documents at a conference center.
  • • Prosecutors claim the handling was grossly negligent.

Swedish prosecutors have initiated an appeal against the acquittal of former national security advisor Henrik Landerholm, who was previously found not guilty of negligence related to classified documents by Attunda District Court. The prosecution emphasizes the gravity of the incident, where Landerholm left confidential documents at a conference center in spring 2023.

In their appeal to the Svea Court of Appeal, prosecutors argue that Landerholm's actions were not merely careless but should be classified as grossly negligent, reflecting the seriousness of the handling of sensitive documents. Prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist has expressed that the legal framework must uphold strict standards regarding national security and the treatment of classified information.

The district court confirmed that the documents involved were secret but ruled that Landerholm acted carelessly rather than with gross negligence, a decision that led to his acquittal earlier this month. Landerholm maintains that he acted under unsustainable work conditions and noted that the court acknowledged no harm came to national security, as the sensitive information was not accessed by unauthorized individuals.

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