8
LEANDER v. SWEDEN JUGDMENT
20.
In consequence, the following instructions, published on 22
September 1972, were given to the National Police Board by the
Government:
"In this country, there exist organisations and groups engaging in political activities
which involve the use or the possible use of force or threats of compulsion as means to
achieve their political aims.
Some organisations have adopted a programme in which it is said that the
organisation shall endeavour to change the social system by violence. It can be
assumed, however, that a large part of the membership of such organisations will
never take part in the realisation of the goals in the programme. The mere fact of being
a member of such an organisation does not therefore constitute a reason for the
Security Police to make an entry about a person in its register. An entry may be made,
however, if a member or a supporter of such an organisation has acted in a way which
justifies the suspicion that he may be prepared to participate in activities which
endanger national security or which are aimed at, and may contribute towards,
overthrowing the democratic system by force or affecting the status of Sweden as an
independent State.
There also exist organisations and groups which may engage in, or may have
engaged in, political subversion in Sweden or in other States, while using force,
threats or compulsion as means for such subversion. Information about members or
supporters of such organisations or groups shall be entered in the register of the
Security Police.
Further instructions concerning the application of section 2 of the Personnel Control
Ordinance shall be issued by the Government following proposals from the National
Police Board. If, in the special police service, circumstances appear which may call for
amendments to the instructions issued by the Government the National Police Board
should submit proposals for such amendments."
21.
Further instructions, this time secret, were issued by the
Government on 27 April 1973 and again on 3 December 1981.
22. In addition to the circumstances provided for in the Personnel
Control Ordinance (see paragraph 24 below), information from the secret
police-register appears also to be released by the National Police Board in
certain cases of public prosecution and in matters relating to applications for
Swedish citizenship.
C. Personnel control
23. In addition to the above-mentioned provisions regarding the secret
police-register, the Personnel Control Ordinance contains provisions as to,
inter alia, the posts which are to be security classified, the procedure for
handing out information and the use of the information released. The main
relevant provisions are summarised below.