The former top Social Democrat in Sollefteå, Mattias Ahlenhed, has been acquitted of charges of infringing civil liberty after widely reported emails containing harsh language and weapon references toward a party colleague. The district court finds that the words were inappropriate – but not criminal.

The indictment concerned a violation of civil liberty, a rare crime carrying a penalty of up to six years in prison. But according to the verdict that has now been delivered, Ahlenhed’s email did not constitute an unlawful threat, and there was no concrete danger that the recipient’s political activity would be hindered.

The court also notes that the statements were “highly inappropriate,” but finds it doubtful that they could be interpreted as an implied threat that Ahlenhed – or anyone else – would carry out a criminal act.

Weapon references not criminal

In one of the emails on which the indictment was based, Ahlenhed wrote that he “will not regret the day when some guy from the northwestern parts of Sollefteå municipality gets in the car and seeks him out with a hunting rifle.”

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Despite the wording, the district court considers that the statement does not reach the criminal threshold. The charges are therefore dismissed in their entirety, and the damages claim is also rejected.

Background: bitter internal conflict

The emails were sent during a period of deep conflict within the Social Democrats in Västernorrland. The recipient, Roger Johansson, is the group leader for the Social Democrats in the regional council and has been a central figure in decisions on significant cutbacks at Sollefteå Hospital – a divisive issue within the party that sparked strong protests in the hinterland.

Ahlenhed, then a member of the Sollefteå municipal executive board and strongly involved in the hospital issue, sent several emails with personal attacks, historical references to Nazism, and allusions to violence and revenge. The emails included phrases such as “Perhaps tooth for tooth, tongue for tongue?” and endings like “Heil Roger! Heil Sundsvallnazismus!”

Unusual indictment – unusual outcome

The prosecutor chose to press charges for violation of civil liberty, an offense that is rarely tried in court and is intended to protect democratic activity from threats and coercion. The last time the offense was tried was in 2014, when the classification was later changed by a higher court.

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In this case, the district court concludes that the emails, despite their tone and content, cannot be considered to have intended or achieved the effect of silencing or influencing the recipient’s political work in a legal sense.

Political consequences remain

Although Ahlenhed has now been acquitted legally, the actions had immediate consequences. He was forced to give up his political assignments and was also suspended from his job as a teacher. The Social Democrats in Sollefteå distanced themselves strongly from the emails and launched an internal process.

The acquittal thus concludes the legal proceedings – but leaves an ongoing debate on tone, responsibility, and where the boundary lies for what can be said between political representatives without being considered threatening in the eyes of the law.