Swedish prisoners moved to Estonia – but many are denied
Sweden has now begun the work of transferring convicted prisoners to prisons in Estonia to reduce the severe shortage of space in Swedish correctional facilities. The first prisoners have arrived in the country, but the process has hit a snag. It turns out that more than half of the prisoners Sweden has proposed for transfer have been rejected by the Estonian authorities.
The reason many applications are being rejected is that Estonia sets high security requirements and prisoners must meet specific criteria to be accepted. The Estonian authorities conduct an individual assessment of each person. If a prisoner is considered to pose too great a security risk or is not deemed to fit into the Estonian system, the transfer does not take place.
The Swedish Prison and Probation Service is facing a very difficult situation with overcrowded prisons. The plan to rent places abroad is part of a strategy to manage the increased number of inmates. Despite the initial difficulties and the many rejections, Swedish authorities emphasize that the cooperation with Estonia is important for creating space in the Swedish system.
Looking ahead, discussions are expected between the countries on how the process can be made smoother. It is still unclear how many prisoners in total will be able to be transferred over the coming year. The Swedish Prison and Probation Service is now continuing its work to find solutions to manage the shortage of space, while respecting the requirements set by the partner in Estonia.