Foreign Minister Tobias Billström (M) states that on March 7 the Riksdag will vote on a law that will prohibit the promotion and propagation of terrorist-classified groups. Already a few days ago, on January 1 this year, a constitutional amendment came into force which means that participation in organizations branded as terrorists is no longer protected by freedom of association – which makes the new law possible.
– That’s why they chose to make this change – where they now make it possible to ban by law organizations that work with terror or that support terror, says Patrik Bremdal, associate professor of constitutional law at Uppsala University.
Hard to define word
One of the risks with the new constitutional amendment, says Patrik Bremdal, is that the definition of terrorism is not fully established. Therefore, in theory, political opponents could be labeled as terrorists in the future.
– It is, of course, a far-fetched thought, but just when you start to include slightly more difficult-to-define concepts in the constitution, which can also develop over time, then there is always a danger if illiberal forces come to power.
Does not include “flag waving”
The constitutional amendment does not include demonstrations – nor “flag-waving” as the foreign minister claimed in an interview with the Turkish news agency AA – but could be used to prove that a certain organization supports a terrorist-classified group if the new law is passed.
– Flag-waving, I would say, falls under the freedom of expression, that is, giving opinions through words or pictures or the like. It is quite difficult to limit.
Rights-limiting laws must, in addition to being voted through in the Riksdag, be based on reasons that are acceptable in a democratic society, explains Patrik Bremdal. The next step is that the restriction must be proportionate – that you should not go further than you need to.
– Then it must not be able to damage the free formation of opinions and not be discriminatory, those are the obstacles that exist that must be passed before it can become law.
Hear associate professor Patrik Bremdal about the difficulties in defining the word terrorism in the clip above