Raped and Threw Woman to Die in Mine Shaft – Granted New Leave for Restaurant and Shopping

Taher Amini, sentenced to life in prison and originally from Afghanistan, who raped a woman and pushed her into a 24-meter-deep mine shaft, has once again been granted leave. Despite the prison service assessing him as having a high risk of reoffending in sexual crimes, he is now allowed to eat at a restaurant and visit shops. The decision raises questions about how the leave system is applied in the most serious cases.

The incident occurred in the spring of 2022 when a young woman was found severely injured at the bottom of an abandoned mine shaft in Norberg. She had been lying there for about a day before passersby heard her cries for help. The rescue operation involved a helicopter.

The perpetrator, then 41-year-old Taher Amini, was apprehended and prosecuted. According to the court’s judgment, he raped the woman, assaulted her, and then pushed her into the mine shaft intending for her to die. When she survived the fall, he returned and threw bricks down at her. Miraculously, the woman survived even this.

Taher was sentenced to life imprisonment for aggravated rape and attempted murder, as well as deportation to his home country Afghanistan after serving his sentence.

New Leave Despite High Risk of Reoffending

Taher has now been granted leave. According to sources, he will be allowed to leave the prison for a few hours to enjoy a meal at a restaurant, as well as visit a bookstore and stores in a shopping center. The decision was made despite the prison assessing the risk of sexual reoffending as high.

Taher and the mine shaft where he threw down the raped woman. Photo: Facebook/Sjöräddningen

This is not the first time Taher, sentenced to life, has been allowed to leave prison in this manner. During the summer of 2024, he was granted what is known as a “fresh air leave.”

Previous Leave for Ice Cream – Despite Misconduct

During the previous leave, Taher reportedly wanted to take a walk and buy ice cream. The leave was conducted under supervision by uniformed staff.

At that time as well, the risk of sexual reoffending was considered high. The leave was granted despite Taher previously receiving warnings at the prison for misconduct.

Planned Honor Crime with Extreme Brutality

The court found that the crimes were planned. Taher had traveled to the area with the intention of raping and killing the woman after she refused to marry him. Forensic experts testified that she would likely have died soon if she had not been found in time.

– “Taken together with the victim’s suffering and fear of death, the severity of the attempted murder is very close to what it would have been had the victim died,” said Judge Johan Alvner when the verdict was issued.

Leave Decisions Questioned

The fact that a life-sentenced sexual offender, assessed as having a high risk of reoffending, is repeatedly granted leave for everyday activities like restaurant visits and shopping has triggered criticism. The matter again raises the issue of balance between rehabilitation and public safety—and how far the leave system should extend in cases that rank among the most severe in Swedish legal history.