Freer Prisons: Sweden's Plan to Expand Jail Space in Estonia
Sweden plans to rent 400 prison cells in Estonia
Sweden is sailing away from its peaceful past, grappling with crime and gangs. In an effort to deal with this issue, the country is considering a radical move - renting prison space in Estonia.
The Swedish government, burdened by gangs, is contemplating accommodating criminals in an Estonian prison. A deal between the two European Union nations is set to be signed in Stockholm in mid-June, as Swedish Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer announced at a press conference. The Swedish parliament requires a three-quarters majority to approve this step before it becomes effective on July 1, 2026.
Sweden is eyeing a prison in Tartu, Estonia, with 400 cells that can house up to 600 prisoners. This might include adult male convicts of homicide, sexual, or economic crimes, according to Henrik Vinge, chairman of the parliamentary justice committee and a member of the right-wing populist Sweden Democrats. While the Sweden Democrats are not part of the liberal-conservative government led by Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, they wield significant political power as their supporting party.
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Sweden won't send high-risk criminals to Estonia, Vinge clarified. This category includes individuals convicted of terrorist offenses or serious organized crime. This indicates that Sweden wants to keep gang members primarily in domestic prisons but seeks to free up space by transferring other criminals to Estonia.
Sweden has grappled with criminal gangs for years, leading to a shortage of prison space inside the country. Sweden will pay €8,500 per month per prison space in Estonia, according to Strömmer.
- Sweden
- Estonia
- Prisoners
- Crime
- Organized Crime
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While the shortage of prison space in Sweden has been a problem for some years, the country's increased cooperation with Estonia is part of a larger initiative known as the Tidö Agreement. This agreement, aimed at addressing the country's prison overcrowding, provides for potential rehabilitation practices to be shared between the two nations.
Estonia, which has underutilized prison facilities, stands to benefit from Sweden's ambitious plan as well. Tartu Prison, for instance, has numerous vacant cells, providing the perfect setting for Sweden's expanding prisoner population. The cost efficiency of housing inmates in Estonia, estimated at €8,500 per month compared to €11,500 in Sweden, further bolsters Sweden's proposed plan.
- Sweden's plan to rent prison space in Estonia is rooted in the Tidö Agreement, a larger initiative aimed at addressing prison overcrowding and potentially sharing rehabilitation practices between the two countries.
- In light of Sweden's increased cooperation with Estonia, it is proposed that Sweden will pay €8,500 per month per prison space to house low-risk prisoners, thereby alleviating the current prison overcrowding issue in Sweden while providing Estonia with much-needed revenue from underutilized prison facilities.
