The Church of Sweden Protests Against the Tidö Government: “Children Don’t Belong in Prison”

On Monday, demonstrations took place in several parts of the country against the Tidö government’s proposal to lower the age of criminal responsibility to 13 years old. Among the participants was the Church of Sweden, which is now facing criticism from the Sweden Democrats.

“The government’s proposal to lower the age of criminal responsibility to 13 years is not a step toward security – it is a step toward a less safe society with the risk of more extensive crime,” writes Ulrica Fritzson, Bishop of the Diocese of Skara, in an open letter to the governing politicians.

In addition to the Church of Sweden, groups such as Bris, Save the Children, Vision, and the SSR Academic Union also supported Monday’s protests. They oppose the proposal presented by the government and the Sweden Democrats to lower the age of criminal responsibility to 13 over a five-year period, which would cover crimes with a minimum four-year prison sentence, such as murder, aggravated rape, and serious firearms offenses.

The groups argue that the proposal goes against research and also violates the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

– Children should be protected from violence and be allowed to grow up in peaceful environments. We cannot punish children for adults’ failures by putting them in prison. Children don’t belong in prison, says Gunilla Hallonsten, vicar of Malmö Parish.

“Protecting the dignity and rights of children is a natural part of the church’s work,” writes the parish in its press release.

– Our clear message is that Sweden should be a country where children receive support and help, not prison sentences. We say no to imprisoning children and to lowering the age of criminal responsibility. Children should receive the security and care they are entitled to, says hospital chaplain Annesophie Robinsdotter in another press release.

SD Criticism

According to Andreas Holmberg, Bishop of the Diocese of Stockholm, the Church of Sweden usually does not get involved in general politics, but “when it concerns issues such as human dignity and especially how we treat our children, these our smallest, then it very much concerns the church.” At the same time, he admits that “something must be done, that is completely obvious.”

The Church of Sweden’s participation in these protests received criticism from SD leader Mattias Karlsson.

“For a long time, the Church of Sweden has in practice functioned as an extended arm of the Swedish left in a wide range of political issues,” he writes to SvD and continues:

“Personally, I see it as an act of mercy to remove young murderers from the streets and care for them in a secure way.”

– That is just nonsense, of course. This is not a left-right issue for the churches in Sweden, which are not all leftist. This is a matter of human dignity; it has nothing to do with party politics, Holmberg responds.

The bishop points to “Trump’s actions in the US with ICE” as another example where the church should use its voice.

However, the government stands firm. In an email to SVT Nyheter Skåne, Minister for Justice Gunnar Strömmer (M) writes: “I think it is good that we have a broad debate in society about difficult issues where different voices are heard. This is about how we protect society from deadly violence, and at the same time care for even the 13- and 14-year-olds who have committed truly serious crimes, such as murder. These are difficult issues, but they can no longer be avoided.”