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Sweden:Surveillance powers for the police

01 September 1996

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The Swedish Social Democratic government is planning to allow the police to use bugging and other unconventional methods. This move was earlier rejected because of its negative impact on the rights of the citizen, but after some serious crimes from the motorcycle-gangs like "Hells Angels" and "Bandidos" the moral panic has opened the way for the change. According to the Chief of the Swedish National Police, Sten Hecksher, it seems likely that the committee which has been set up to look into the proposals will allow bugging under the same circumstances as for telephone-tapping. This will mean it will normally be necessary for a judge to authorise each case. "Requests for telephone tapping are seldom or never denied", SOU 1989:18, s 64). See for more details on Swedish legislation and practice, Töllborg, Undercover in Sweden, in Fijnaut/Marx: Undercover, Police surveillance in comparative perspective, Kluwer 1995.

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