Estonians oppose plan to house Swedish prisoners in local jail

A growing petition on Rahvaalgatus.ee reveals strong opposition among Tartu residents to the Estonian government’s plan to rent out empty cells in Tartu prison to Sweden. Under the proposal, nearly 600 Swedish prisoners—including third-country nationals convicted of serious crimes such as rape and murder—would serve their sentences in Estonia.

The petition expresses deep concerns about the suitability of Tartu as a destination for these foreign inmates, Caliber.Az reports via Estonian media.

"Recently, there has been talk of Sweden's desire to transfer some third-country nationals from its prisons – including those convicted of serious crimes [e.g. rape and murder] – to Estonian prisons. Tartu prison has been mentioned as a possible destination in this context," the initiative states. "We, the undersigned, find this unacceptable."

Residents emphasise their desire to keep Tartu a safe and thriving community rather than a "risk zone." 

"We want to keep Tartu a safe and developing living environment, not a risk zone. We expect a clear position from the government and judicial authorities regarding the use of Tartu Prison, which would support the needs of our community, not create new problems," the petition says.

The concerns voiced by locals align with warnings from the Estonian Office of the Chancellor of Justice and the Internal Security Service, which have highlighted potential risks linked to housing foreign prisoners. In particular, authorities fear that inmates connected to extremism or international organised crime may enter Estonia, potentially leading to security challenges.

Marta Tuul, spokesperson for the Internal Security Service, stressed on Estonian TV: "The main concerns we see are that people with connections to extremism or international organised crime do not arrive in Estonia. We also see that foreign prisoners may begin to be visited by individuals with connections to extremism or international organised crime."

Estonia’s inmate population has been declining steadily, dropping below 2,000 for the first time in 2023. In contrast, Sweden’s plans to impose tougher and longer sentences suggest a continued or even growing need for prison capacity, prompting the proposal to transfer prisoners abroad.

By Sabina Mammadli