Sweden: Three Afghan Men Detained for Gang Rape

Three Afghan men, aged 18, 19, and 23, have been detained by the Kristianstad District Court on charges of rape, assault, and unlawful detention of a woman in her 20s. The alleged crimes occurred over the weekend in a residence in Kristianstad. Local media outlet Kristianstadsbladet falsely claimed the perpetrators “are from Kristianstad,” misleading readers about their origins.

According to legal documents obtained by Samnytt, the crimes were committed late Saturday night, with police arresting the suspects at 1:30 AM Sunday morning. The trio was officially remanded in custody on Monday.

“The three suspects are acquainted with one another. I am unaware of their relationship to the victim,” said Anja Steiber, a press spokesperson for the Public Prosecutor’s Office.

Media Misinformation

Kristianstadsbladet incorrectly reported that the men “belong to the municipality of Kristianstad.” In reality, all three are Afghan nationals.

The 19-year-old and 23-year-old suspects have prior convictions in Sweden for assault, vandalism, and drug offenses, yet they have not been deported. Their continued presence in Sweden ultimately led to this latest crime against a 20-year-old woman.

Prosecutor Comments

The three men face charges of rape, assault, and unlawful detention. Their detention is based on probable cause, indicating that prosecutors and the court find the evidence against them substantial.

Prosecutor Magdalena Petersson, who is handling the case, has declined to provide further details at this time.

“All three are in custody, but I can’t share more information,” she told Kristianstadsbladet.

Source: […] Samhällsnytt: