Katarina Påhlsson – Summary 2021/22

Parliamentary Ombudsman, supervisory area 1

My area of responsibility includes the courts of law, the Rent and Tenancy Tribunal, the Prison and Probation Service, the planning and construction sectors, environmental and health protection, and the guardianship system. The area of responsibility includes a number of central authorities, including the Enforcement Agency, the National Courts Administration, the Crime Victim and Compensation Authority, the Board of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency. The focus of the supervision is on issues concerning the general courts of law and the prison and probation regime.

There was a wide variety of complaints concerning the general courts of law, but some questions recur. One such complaint concerns the courts’ disclosure of confidential information. Sensitive information often features in court cases and the courts have a high level of knowledge and experience in handling it. It is, however, serious when incorrect handling occurs. For example, if a secret address is disclosed, the consequences can be serious. Unfortunately, there is a lack of consistency in the application of the regulations regarding confidentiality, even if it is not a common reason for classified information being disclosed. When such information is disclosed, it instead appears to be due to individual mistakes, which in turn sometimes appears to be the consequence of heavy workloads.

It is not uncommon for a complainant to claim that they have been wrongly convicted. Exactly like in cases concerning dissatisfaction with a substantive decision taken by an authority, I do not usually investigate such complaints. To a large extent, decisions and judgments are based on assessments and they can differ without there necessarily needing to exist any errors. Additionally, normally a judgment can be appealed to a higher court.

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic’s effect on Swedish society since the spring of 2020, the courts have succeeded in hearing many cases. Digitalisation, an increased use of video technology in main hearings, and more cases being decided without hearings have helped. However, some complex cases have been postponed, possibly explaining an increase in complaints about court processing times.

Complaints connected to the pandemic have decreased, but some limitations on visits and leave remain a strain on inmates. Steps have been taken recently to address occupancy issues in prisons, with plans to add more spaces and ensure humane conditions.