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fullscreen The documentary series is from the Qatar-based media company Al Jazeera. Archive image. Photo: Malak Harb/AP/TT
The criticized documentary series from Al Jazeera, in which Sweden is accused of forcibly taking children into care for no reason, is nuanced, claims an Al Jazeera manager according to Ekot in Sveriges Radio.
In the documentary series from the Qatar-based media company, the picture is given of Swedish authorities taking care of children on vague grounds. The reason for the care is often not addressed in the series, and in one case that SVT previously reported on, court documents show that children were subjected to psychological abuse, did not go to school and were hungry, among other things.
Awad Jumaa, head of programming and acquisitions at Al Jazeera’s 360 streaming platform, tells Ekot that he believes all relevant official documents are covered in the documentary.
The series is not only about Sweden, but about several western countries.
The documentary series bears some resemblance to the so-called LVU campaign a couple of years ago, a disinformation campaign in which Swedish authorities were said to be kidnapping Muslim children. It led to an increased threat image against Sweden.
Awad Jumaa says that those who made the documentary were aware of the previous disinformation campaign.
– We are very clear with our language, and we were very careful not to use the word “kidnapped”, for example. So we’ve been extremely careful to make sure we have a very well-balanced and well-made film.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) has previously said that he is concerned by the message in the series.