The 35-year-old man has been sentenced to death in Iraq, together with two Iraqi citizens who previously stayed in Sweden.
According to the verdict that SVT has seen, the men were found with drugs in an apartment in Baghdad.
The 35-year-old’s lawyer says that the punishment is not in line with the crime. Mohammad Fazlhashemi, professor of Islamic theology at Uppsala University, also believes that the punishment is harsh.
– I know how large the scale can be when it comes to drug smuggling in these countries, you are talking about kilos, he says.
The lawyer: “Just because they are Swedish”
Several Iraqi journalists state that the verdict is about a move against drug crime in the country. At the same time, the man’s lawyer states to SVT that: “They received this punishment only because they are Swedes”
Mohammad Fazlhashemi says that it is difficult to connect the verdict to Sweden’s relationship with Iraq.
– You cannot make the connection you saw in Iran when it comes to the exchange of prisoners, he says.
Deteriorated relationship between Sweden and Iraq
Alexander Atarodi, a Middle East expert who previously worked at FOI, tells SVT that the relationship between Sweden and the entire Muslim world has deteriorated for two reasons. Partly because of the Koran burnings and partly because of the war between Israel and Hamas.
He believes that Sweden’s brand has been negatively affected by recent events.
– In addition, Iraq is very keen that Iraqi territory should not be used as a base for either terrorist attacks or criminal activities, he says.
Swedish crime in Iraq
The strained relationships can be attributed to the Koran burnings, among other things. Alexander Atarodi does not see a direct connection between the death sentences and Iraq’s view of Sweden, but states that Swedish criminals are a problem for Iraq and other countries in the region.
– They strongly dislike the fact that Swedish criminality has gained a foothold in the country and is destabilizing Iraqi society, which is still suffering from the time of IS. This is a very important issue for Iraq.
The Foreign Ministry protests the death sentences
Three more Swedish citizens were sentenced to death the same month for the murder of the former gang leader “Benzema”, who was shot dead in January.
After the death sentences, the Swedish Foreign Ministry summoned Iraq’s charge d’affaires to protest against the sentences.