Sweden to Enshrine Holocaust Denial Ban in Constitution by 2027

The Swedish Parliament has given final approval to a constitutional amendment that will explicitly define Holocaust denial as incitement against an ethnic group under the country's freedom of press and freedom of expression laws. The amendment is set to take effect on January 1, 2027. The constitution will clearly state that incitement against an ethnic group, including denial of genocide or crimes against humanity established by a Swedish or international court ruling, constitutes a violation of press and expression freedoms.

While Holocaust denial can already lead to prosecution in Sweden if it amounts to incitement against an ethnic group, the new amendment aims to strengthen and broaden the ability to combat hate speech, particularly on social media and digital platforms where certain publications might otherwise be protected by freedom of speech laws. This constitutional change is the final step in Sweden's legislative process, which requires two parliamentary votes separated by a general election. The newly elected parliament must approve the amendment again to finalize it.

Israel's Ambassador to Sweden, Tami Rahamimov Honig, welcomed the amendment, stating in a tweet that Sweden is completing the steps to criminalize Holocaust denial in its constitution starting in January 2027. She described it as a significant step in combating rising antisemitism, emphasizing that the "epidemic of antisemitism requires strong commitment and determination."