From Freedom to Detention: A Systematic Analysis of Swedish Asylum Legislation

As one of the fundamental human rights that belong to every human being, freedom of movement is prescribed at the international, EU and national level. Every person has the right to move freely and must not be unlawfully deprived of freedom. The right to freedom of movement is the rule and restricting it the exception. Nevertheless, there occasionally do exist justified reasons for restricting certain rights, including the right to freedom of movement. Asylum seekers (ASs), much like all other persons, have the right to freedom of movement, though not always without restrictions. The migration and refugee crisis that began in 2015 brought many a challenge for the EU, a major one being the striking of balance between protecting human rights and protecting the national security of the Member States (MSs). Until the onset of the 2015 migration and refugee crisis, Sweden was a country open to migrants and refugees and highly protective of their rights. Soon after, as a self-protection and – preservation measure, Sweden began increasingly frequently restricting the freedom of movement of and imposing detention on ASs. But did Sweden’s newly adopted approach remain in line with international and European legal norms? To determine this, this article offers a systematic analysis of the compliance of Swedish legislation with international and EU standards in regard to restrictions on the freedom of movement of ASs, including minors, with special reference to the imposing of detention.