Sweden Moves to Deport Convicted Syrians Amid New Diplomatic Cooperation

The Swedish government, headed by Ministers Johan Forssell and Benjamin Dousa, is advancing plans to deport convicted Syrian nationals back to Syria following a historic ministerial visit earlier this week. This visit marked the first by Swedish officials to Syria since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in December 2024 and aimed to establish bilateral cooperation on deportations with the new Syrian government led by Ahmed al-Sharaa.

Currently, Sweden is home to approximately 128 Syrian nationals convicted of crimes awaiting deportation. Both Forssell and Dousa expressed strong commitment to increasing deportations, highlighting that individuals convicted in Sweden have chosen to forfeit their place in Swedish society. Forssell emphasized that "all countries have a responsibility to accept their own citizens," reinforcing the view that deportation is a justified measure.

The ministers met with representatives of Syria's transitional government, which reportedly has ties to groups such as al-Qaida, to discuss the logistics of deportations. One possible step discussed includes Syria sending a team to Sweden to review individual cases. Dousa noted the geopolitical difficulty under the previous regime when deporting Syrians was not feasible, but the current leadership provides a new opportunity for cooperation.

Sweden has also pledged 1.2 billion kronor in aid to Syria through 2027, with conditions attached concerning the protection of minority rights amid continued violence against these groups in Syria. While no Swedish funds currently go directly to the Syrian state, the government remains open to future state-to-state collaboration contingent on Syria adhering to international law regarding repatriation.

This development signals a significant shift in Swedish immigration enforcement and foreign relations, balancing aid commitments with stricter immigration policies. The government’s stance reflects both humanitarian concerns and a priority on holding foreign nationals accountable for criminal actions within Sweden’s borders.