Sweden Plans to Transfer 600 Prisoners to Estonia to Ease Overcrowding
Sweden will move up to 600 prisoners to an Estonian prison to tackle overcrowding, despite concerns over language barriers and criminal network risks.
- • Sweden plans to transfer up to 600 male prisoners to Estonia due to overcrowding.
- • Estonian Tartu prison currently has underutilized capacity with about 933 places.
- • Sweden will pay Estonia 8,500 euros per month per prisoner, a cheaper alternative.
- • Concerns include language barriers, safety, and risk of criminal networks spreading.
- • Transfers exclude terrorism convicts and high security risks.
Key details
Sweden is preparing to transfer up to 600 male inmates to a prison facility in Tartu, Estonia, starting next summer as a measure to address severe overcrowding in its prison system. Swedish prisons face a shortage of approximately 800 places by 2026-2027, prompting this international agreement. Estonia's prison system currently houses about 1,600 inmates in facilities designed for over 3,000, including 933 spots at Tartu prison, of which only around 293 are occupied, making it ideal for accommodating transferred prisoners.
The transfer agreement stipulates that only male prisoners over 18 years old, excluding those convicted of terrorism or deemed serious security risks, will be moved. The Swedish government will pay Estonia 8,500 euros per inmate per month, a more cost-effective option than housing them domestically. Inmates will live under conditions similar to Swedish prisons, with access to work and recreational activities. However, there are notable challenges, including language barriers since Estonian prison staff do not speak Swedish.
Authorities in Estonia intend to prevent Swedish inmates from establishing criminal networks within their prisons, implementing strict measures to limit interaction between Swedish and local prisoners. Despite these precautions, the plan has drawn criticism. Legal associations and residents have expressed concerns over safety and the suitability of the facility in Tartu for Swedish inmates. There are also worries about the welfare of prisoners given language and potential cultural issues.
This initiative reflects a pragmatic solution to Sweden's escalating prison overcrowding, balancing cost efficiency and available capacity with the complexities of international prisoner management. The upcoming transfer will test the cooperation between the two countries and the ability to maintain adequate conditions and security in a foreign prison system.