2024-11-272024/25:JuU6 · p.2JuUJustice
Evaluation etc.
Follow-up and evaluation of the anonymous-witnesses legislation
What's at stake: The question concerns how closely the effects of anonymous witnesses, for example the number of convictions, public trust in the justice system, and the protection of witnesses' identities, should be followed up and reported to parliament going forward.
Case texts and AI reasoning are AI-translated from the Swedish originals; the Swedish text is authoritative.
What the vote decides
The question is whether parliament should now issue a further call on the government to thoroughly evaluate and continuously report on how the new system of anonymous witnesses is applied, or whether ongoing work on witness protection is sufficient without a new such call.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee notes that parliament has already, on three previous occasions, directed statements to the government on strengthening witness protection, and that this work is ongoing, including within the Police Authority. The committee therefore sees no reason to make a further such statement now and rejects the motion.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 2 (S)
S holds that after a suitable time, the government should thoroughly evaluate whether the new system of anonymous witnesses has had the intended effect, including whether it leads to more convictions and how it affects trust in the justice system and willingness to testify, and that the government should continuously report to parliament on how the rules are applied and witnesses' identities protected.
Summarised from the committee report. Party labels in the summary come from the report, not from the vote.
What do the votes mean here?
Yes The committee proposal: rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 2 by S.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
What each plan points to — and how the party voted
For each party: the vote its own election manifesto and party programme point to in this case, next to how the party actually voted. A plan can only point to Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| Plan | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | No | Abstain 0/0/21/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| S | No | No 0/92/0/14 | follows the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| MP | No | Yes 14/0/0/4 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| C | No | Yes 20/0/0/4 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| L | No | Yes 15/0/0/1 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| KD | No | Yes 15/0/0/4 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| M | No | Yes 59/0/0/9 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| SD | No | Yes 63/0/0/9 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | not addressed |
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects motion 2024/25:3228 by Teresa Carvalho et al. (S) demands 1 and 2.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motion 2024/25:3228 av Teresa Carvalho m.fl. (S) yrkandena 1 och 2.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag approved the government's proposal to make it possible to testify anonymously during preliminary investigation and criminal proceedings in court. According to the proposal, witnesses shall be able to provide their information under anonymity if there is a substantial risk that they or their relatives are exposed to serious criminal activity. To provide information anonymously, the penalty for the crime in question must correspond to at least two years' imprisonment. The reasons for anonymity must also outweigh the difficulties it entails for the suspected or accused person's ability to prepare and carry out their defence. The purpose of the new rules is to strengthen protection for witnesses and break the silence culture in and around criminal gangs. In this way, the ability to investigate and solve crimes shall be improved. The amendments to the law come into force on 1 January 2025.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants the government to conduct a thorough evaluation of the rules on anonymous witnesses. (S) — Reservation 2
Plan vs actual vote
Every party, in chamber order: what its own plan pointed to, how it voted, and the reasoning behind both. Highlighted rows are where the two differ — but a vote that follows the plan is a result too, so the reasoning is there for every party.
The plan demands that reforms are based on research and tested against whether they prove effective and fair when implemented, which is precisely what a thorough evaluation of anonymous witnesses means.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan demands that reforms are based on research and tested against whether they prove effective and fair when implemented, which is precisely what a thorough evaluation of anonymous witnesses means. The plan also establishes that legal certainty shall be maintained through public insight and independent scrutiny, which supports regular reporting to the Riksdag. That penalties and legal tools shall be carefully designed to actually reduce crime points in the same direction.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att reformer bygger på forskning och prövas mot om de visar sig effektiva och rättvisa när de genomförs, vilket är precis vad en grundlig utvärdering av anonyma vittnen innebär. Planen slår också fast att rättssäkerheten ska upprätthållas genom medborgerlig insyn och oberoende granskning, vilket stödjer återkommande redovisning till riksdagen. Att påföljder och rättsliga verktyg ska vara noggrant utformade för att faktiskt sänka brottsligheten pekar i samma riktning.
- reforms shall be tested in practicedecisive»förslag som visar sig effektiva och rättvisa den dag de genomförs.« (party programme ↗)“proposals that prove effective and fair when they are implemented.”
- transparency and independent scrutiny»Rättssäkerheten behöver upprätthållas genom rättshjälp, medborgerlig« (party programme ↗)“Legal certainty needs to be maintained through legal aid, public”
- carefully designed legal tools»Straff och andra påföljder för brott behöver vara noggrant« (party programme ↗)“Penalties and other sanctions for crime need to be carefully”
- research-based politics»att lyssna på forskningen och förena de insikterna med politisk« (party programme ↗)“to listen to research and combine those insights with political”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan does not address anonymous witnesses or monitoring of such an arrangement.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan does not address anonymous witnesses or monitoring of such an arrangement. The closest principles are that public administration shall be built on public disclosure and transparency, that authorities shall observe objectivity and equality before the law and that society shall protect individuals' rights. Based on that, requirements for thorough evaluation and ongoing reporting to Parliament are supported, but the conclusion is inferred.
Original (Swedish)
Planen behandlar inte anonyma vittnen eller uppföljning av en sådan ordning. Närmast liggande principer är att samhällsförvaltningen ska bygga på offentlighet och insyn, att myndigheter ska iaktta saklighet och likhet inför lagen och att samhället ska skydda enskildas rättigheter. Utifrån det stöds krav på grundlig utvärdering och löpande redovisning till riksdagen, men slutsatsen är härledd.
- public disclosure and transparencydecisive»Den demokratiska processen och samhällsförvaltningen måste bygga på offentlighet och« (party programme ↗)“The democratic process and public administration must be built on public disclosure and”
- equality before the law»beakta allas likhet inför lagen och iaktta saklighet och opartiskhet.« (party programme ↗)“observe equality before the law for all and maintain objectivity and impartiality.”
- protect individuals' rights»Det är samhällets absoluta skyldighet att skydda friheten och den personliga integriteten« (party programme ↗)“It is society's absolute duty to protect freedom and personal integrity”
- uncompromising crime fighting»Kampen mot kriminaliteten ska vara kompromisslös.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The fight against crime shall be uncompromising.”
The plan requires public access to insight in all judicial and law enforcement activities and a justice system that has public confidence, while legal security must be protected.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires public access to insight in all judicial and law enforcement activities and a justice system that has public confidence, while legal security must be protected. A thorough evaluation of how anonymous witnesses work and ongoing reporting to the Riksdag is precisely such a transparency and legal security guarantee, which is why the counter-proposal's demand is supported.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver god medborgerlig insyn i all rättskipande och rättsvårdande verksamhet och ett rättsväsen som har allmänhetens förtroende, samtidigt som rättssäkerheten ska tryggas. En grundlig utvärdering av hur anonyma vittnen fungerar och löpande redovisning till riksdagen är just en sådan insyns- och rättssäkerhetsgaranti, varför motförslagets krav stöds.
- insight into the justice systemdecisive»Det ska finnas god medborgerlig insyn i all« (party programme ↗)“There shall be good public access to insight in all”
- confidence in the justice system»öppenhet såväl som ett effektivt och välfungerande rättsväsen som har allmänhetens förtroende.« (party programme ↗)“openness as well as an efficient and well-functioning justice system that has public confidence.”
- legal security shall be protected»Rättssäkerheten ska tryggas samtidigt som de« (party programme ↗)“Legal security shall be protected while the”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan explicitly says no to anonymous witnesses as a legal tool and requires that all legislation be tested against its impact on integrity and rule of law.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan explicitly says no to anonymous witnesses as a legal tool and requires that all legislation be tested against its impact on integrity and rule of law. A requirement for thorough evaluation of how the system functions and for ongoing reporting to the Riksdag is the minimal application of that commitment. The plan's requirement for transparency in public authority exercise points in the same direction.
Original (Swedish)
Planen säger uttryckligen nej till anonyma vittnen som rättsligt verktyg och kräver att all lagstiftning prövas mot sin påverkan på integritet och rättssäkerhet. Ett krav på grundlig utvärdering av hur systemet fungerar och på löpande redovisning till riksdagen är den minsta möjliga tillämpningen av det åtagandet. Planens krav på transparens i offentlig maktutövning pekar i samma riktning.
- no to anonymous witnessesdecisive»Rättsstaten och individens rättigheter gentemot staten måste försvaras. Vi säger därför nej till visitationszoner, kollektiv bestraffning, omvänd bevisbörda, anonyma vittnen, preventiv avlyssning och inskränkningar av religionsfriheten.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The rule of law and individuals' rights against the state must be defended. We therefore say no to stop-and-search zones, collective punishment, reversed burden of proof, anonymous witnesses, preventive wiretapping and restrictions on religious freedom.”
- proportionality test of laws»Det måste finnas en proportionalitet mellan lagstiftningens inskränkning av medborgarnas integritet och lagarnas syfte.« (party programme ↗)“There must be proportionality between legislation's restriction of citizens' integrity and the law's purpose.”
- openness and oversight»Öppenhet och transparens är grundförutsättningar för frihet, demokrati och för att förhindra korruption och övergrepp.« (party programme ↗)“Openness and transparency are basic prerequisites for freedom, democracy and for preventing corruption and abuse.”
- transparent exercise of power»Sverige ska bli ännu mer transparent.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden shall become even more transparent.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The party programme requires that laws with significant impact on the individual's legal sphere are tested from a privacy perspective and that legal security is strengthened, while witnesses shall have effective protection.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme requires that laws with significant impact on the individual's legal sphere are tested from a privacy perspective and that legal security is strengthened, while witnesses shall have effective protection. A thorough evaluation of how anonymous witness statements work, including effects on confidence in the justice system, follows from these commitments. The plan does not mention anonymous witnesses, so the conclusion is inferred.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet kräver att lagar med stark påverkan på den enskildes rättssfär prövas ur integritetssynpunkt och att rättssäkerheten förstärks, samtidigt som vittnen ska ha ett effektivt skydd. En grundlig utvärdering av hur anonyma vittnesmål fungerar, inklusive effekterna på förtroendet för rättsväsendet, följer av dessa åtaganden. Planen nämner inte anonyma vittnen, varför slutsatsen är härledd.
- testing of rights violationsdecisive»Alla nya lagförslag ska analyseras ur integritetssynpunkt.« (party programme ↗)“All new legislative proposals shall be analyzed from a privacy perspective.”
- effective witness protection»Vittnen ska ha rätt till ett effektivt skydd« (party programme ↗)“Witnesses shall have the right to effective protection”
- strengthened legal security»Rättssäkerheten och skyddet för de medborgerliga fri- och rättigheterna behöver förstärkas.« (party programme ↗)“Legal security and protection of civil liberties and rights need to be strengthened.”
- more crimes shall be cleared up»Rättsväsendets förmåga och effektivitet behöver förbättras så att« (party programme ↗)“The justice system's capability and efficiency need to be improved so that”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The election manifesto wants to introduce anonymous witnesses with the reasoning that the practice in other countries has contributed to more convictions, which assumes that the effect can actually be measured.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto wants to introduce anonymous witnesses with the reasoning that the practice in other countries has contributed to more convictions, which assumes that the effect can actually be measured. The plan sees evaluation, cost tracking and quality control as important political tasks and bases trust in the rule of law on effective crime prevention. A thorough evaluation and ongoing reporting to parliament thus aligns with the plan.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet vill införa anonyma vittnen med motiveringen att ordningen i andra länder har bidragit till fler fällande domar, vilket förutsätter att effekten faktiskt kan följas. Planen ser utvärdering, kostnadsuppföljning och kvalitetskontroll som viktiga politiska uppgifter och bygger tilltron till rättssamhället på effektiv brottsbekämpning. En grundlig utvärdering och löpande redovisning till riksdagen ligger därför i planens linje.
- anonymous witnesses shall lead to more convictionsdecisive»Inför anonyma vittnen. Det finns i flera andra länder och har bidragit till fler fällande domar.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Introduce anonymous witnesses. It exists in several other countries and has contributed to more convictions.”
- evaluation as a political task»medborgarnas intresse. Utvärdering, kostnadsuppföljning och kvalitetskontroll är därför viktiga politiska« (party programme ↗)“citizens' interest. Evaluation, cost tracking and quality control are therefore important political”
- confidence in the rule of law»kan förlita sig på att en effektiv brottsbekämpning och« (party programme ↗)“can rely on that an effective crime prevention and”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan requires anonymous witnesses to be allowed so that more people dare to testify, and the party programme states that a reform-focused party shall constantly evaluate, reconsider and improve what has been implemented, with reforms grounded in research and proven experience.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires anonymous witnesses to be allowed so that more people dare to testify, and the party programme states that a reform-focused party shall constantly evaluate, reconsider and improve what has been implemented, with reforms grounded in research and proven experience. A thorough evaluation of how the anonymous witness system works in practice, and continuous reporting to the Riksdag, follows directly from that methodological principle. The evaluation as such is not mentioned, hence derived coverage.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att anonyma vittnen tillåts så att fler vågar vittna, och partiprogrammet slår fast att ett reforminriktat parti ständigt ska utvärdera, ompröva och förbättra det som genomförts, med reformer som lutar sig mot forskning och beprövad erfarenhet. En grundlig utvärdering av hur systemet med anonyma vittnen fungerar i praktiken, och löpande redovisning till riksdagen, följer direkt av den metodprincipen. Utvärderingen som sådan nämns inte, därav härledd täckning.
- reforms shall be evaluateddecisive»Ett reforminriktat liberalkonservativt parti har ständig beredskap för att utvärdera, ompröva, förändra och förbättra det som genomförts.« (party programme ↗)“A reform-focused liberal conservative party has constant readiness to evaluate, reconsider, change and improve what has been implemented.”
- anonymous witnesses»Tillåta anonyma vittnen så att fler vågar vittna« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Allow anonymous witnesses so that more people dare to testify”
- witness protection»Stärka skyddet för vittnen och brottsoffer« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen protection for witnesses and crime victims”
flags: citat_blockerat
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan requires clear results for each public initiative and that the justice system's tools for prosecuting criminals are improved, which supports that a new system with anonymous witnesses is monitored and evaluated.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires clear results for each public initiative and that the justice system's tools for prosecuting criminals are improved, which supports that a new system with anonymous witnesses is monitored and evaluated. Strengthening the position of crime victims and witnesses is also an explicit commitment, and an account of how witness identity is protected serves that purpose. The plan therefore supports the demand.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver tydliga resultat för varje offentlig satsning och att rättsväsendets verktyg för att lagföra kriminella förbättras, vilket talar för att ett nytt system med anonyma vittnen följs upp och utvärderas. Att stärka brottsoffrens och vittnenas ställning är också ett uttalat åtagande, och en redovisning av hur vittnens identitet skyddas tjänar det syftet. Planen stöder därför kravet.
- monitoring of reformsdecisive»Begära tydliga resultat för varje offentlig satsning« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Demand clear results for each public initiative”
- more effective prosecution»Rättsväsendets samverkan mellan myndigheter och verktyg för att upptäcka och lagföra kriminella ska förbättras.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The justice system's cooperation between agencies and tools for detecting and prosecuting criminals shall be improved.”
- strengthened position for crime victims»Stärka brottsoffrets ställning och öka stödet till brottsoffer« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen the position of crime victims and increase support for crime victims”
- remove procedural obstacles»Processuella hinder för att möjliggöra en ökad lagföring måste också undanröjas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Procedural obstacles to enable increased prosecution must also be removed.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2024/25:JuU6)
- Committee report full text (HC01JuU6)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2024/25:1929 — Rättsväsendet av Gudrun Nordborg m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2024/25:2056 — För ett tryggare Malmö och Sverige av Niels Paarup-Petersen (C)
- Motion 2024/25:2703 — Möjlighet att vittna anonymt av Ann-Sofie Lifvenhage (M)
- Motion 2024/25:2891 — Processrättsliga frågor av Richard Jomshof m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2024/25:3227 — med anledning av prop. 2024/25:20 Anonyma vittnen av Gudrun Nordborg m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2024/25:3228 — med anledning av prop. 2024/25:20 Anonyma vittnen av Teresa Carvalho m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2024/25:3229 — med anledning av prop. 2024/25:20 Anonyma vittnen av Rasmus Ling m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2024/25:3230 — med anledning av prop. 2024/25:20 Anonyma vittnen av Ulrika Liljeberg m.fl. (C)
- Proposition 2024/25:20 — Anonyma vittnen
Source: The Swedish Parliament