pic: YLE/Ulrika Stagnäs-Lund
Covid changes a lot of things. Even prison sentences. DN reports that the sentences being handed out after conviction are being shortened because of the isolation measures instituted at the prisons to keep Covid out.
Yesterday, a man convicted of selling large amounts of narcotics was given a 5-year sentence instead of the original 6-year sentence because of the pandemic. “I pressed for a lesser sentence… he isn’t allowed to have visitors. It’s very trying,” said defense lawyer Frida Wallin.
In another particularly serious narcotics case (synnerligen grovt narkotikamål) the number of days the suspect was held before being charged was counted in reducing the sentence the suspect eventually received. While he was being held, he wasn’t allowed visitors due to the risk of spreading Covid. In this case, the judge of appeal (hovrättsråd) explained, the later-convicted felon was under particular physical and mental strain during that time, which should be taken into account in sentencing, even if the restrictions themselves were proper.
“Since a court has in these cases made the call that [Covid] can affect sentencing, we can be pretty sure that there will be more sentencing of this kind,” reported lawyer Carl Mellberg. “We have to hope it’s a temporary situation and doesn’t go on for a long time.”
“It’s extremely tough not to be able to have visitors” said lawyer Frida Wallin. Ask any innocent inmate in Sweden’s old age homes.