Swedish Migration Agency Faces Serious Criticism for Neglecting Detained Woman Overnight

The Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) has come under sharp criticism following an incident where a woman was left locked in a visitor room at their Mölndal facility for 14 hours overnight without access to food or water. The woman, who was awaiting transfer to another country, attempted to alert staff multiple times by pressing an alarm button but was not rescued until the following morning when reception staff found her. The Justitieombudsmannen (JO) has issued severe criticism regarding the agency's handling of the situation, describing the consequences as "unacceptable." The woman reported feeling very unwell after the extended isolation. This incident highlights significant procedural failings within Migrationsverket's detention operations, particularly at the Mölndal location, which had already faced criticism in reviews conducted in 2023 and 2024. Despite visitor presence during the day, agency staff failed to return to retrieve the woman after escorting her visitors out, resulting in her being forgotten in isolation through the night. This latest occurrence underscores ongoing challenges in ensuring the welfare and dignity of individuals detained by the Migration Agency.