Sweden and (Parental) Child Abductions

Swedish State Television (SVT) has been conducting an investigation into the problem of children being removed from Sweden by one of their parents in a custody dispute and being kept in the country of origin of one or both parents. These countries are primarily Somalia and Iraq, but other countries in the Middle East are also mentioned. For the parent left behind in Sweden, the process is long and difficult in trying to recover their child. The below article in SVT is translated by Fousesquawk. There are 4 videos in the article (translation pending).

 https://www.svt.se/nyheter/inrikes/granskning-minst-916-barn-har-forts-ut-ur-sverige

Caption below top video: There are no national statistics on the number of children who are abducted or detained in another country. But SVT’s survey shows that it is approximately 916 children during a five-year period. In the video, reporter Sarah Ibrahim explains what the cases are about. Photo:SVT

Examination: At least 916 children have been taken out of Sweden.

Updated March 26, 2023. Posted March 18, 2023.

At least 916 children have been taken out of Sweden during a five-year period. Over 400 children have been taken to countries with which Sweden has a developed cooperation under the Hague Convention, but there is still a large problem when a child is detained, SVT’s continuing investigation on child abduction shows.

“I want more people to know that this can happen,” says Lara, who was able to get her children back home when the father kept them in a custody dispute in Turkey.

The majority of abductions happen within an honor-related context. Children are taken on “educational trips” or to be married off, or for genital mutilation. Last year almost half of the honor-related cases were to Somalia and Iraq. But more and more of the cases involve custody disputes. Most of the children are taken to countries where the Hague Convention does not apply. (In that case), Sweden has little possibility of getting the child back.

Hala’s daughter was one of these children. She was taken to Jordan by her father when she was 8 years old. In a few months, the daughter will be 18 and will marry.

Hear Hala tell about her daughter’s abduction in the video clip below. Here are parts of the investigation in Arabic.

Caption below video: “I wish I could hug her before I die.” Photo: Sara Kosar/SVT

Many abducted (children) involved in custody disputes

To try and get children back is not only difficult and time-consuming, but it is also costly. Rasoul’s 3-year-old daughter was kidnapped by her mother around Christmas 2016. Rasoul had just won a long custody dispute and gotten sole custody of the child. Then her mother decided to take the child to her native Morocco.

“Hope that she will come back never disappears,” says Rasoul. But after 18 trips to Morocco and hundreds of thousands of kronors that went to lawyers and private detectives, he has had to temporarily pause the search.

Hear him tell about the fight to get his daughter back in the video clip below.

Caption below video:

In the apartment, there are many traces of the daughter, her toys are still there like the Christmas present she was supposed to get from Rasoul’s sister for Christmas 2016. Photo: Urban Ermling/SVT

Half of the children got no protection-despite requests for travel bans

A tool social services have to try and stop children from being abducted is the law on travel bans. Only one-half of children, however, have received protection when social services sought a travel ban since the law came into effect in 2021, SVT’s examination shows.

Caption below video: Hear parts of the telephone conversation that was recorded. Voices have been altered. Photo: Sara Cosar/SVT

The new law didn’t help Sandra’s children who were taken to Saudi Arabia when they were one and three years old despite (the fact) that she had expressed her worry about that even before (their) birth.

“If only someone had reported their concern, then I might have understood how dangerous the situation was, ” she says.

The hospital never reported to social services although they wrote in their files that they should. When Sandra then asked for protection for her other two children, they too did not get a travel ban.

Hear her tell about missing her children in the video clip below.

Only a third come back

More than 400 have been taken to countries with which Sweden has developed cooperation under the Hague Convention, but it is still a big problem when a child is detained, SVT’s continuing examination on child abductions shows. But it is getting easier. 

Caption beneath photo: Anna and her sisters remain stuck in Turkey after a vacation trip with their father. Hear the family tell about their fight to get them home in the feature. Photo:SVT

“I want more people to know that this can happen,” says Lara, who managed to get her children home when the father kept them in a custody dispute in Turkey. There may be a different legal system in other countries, where the can more easily have sole custody. But help is available.