Criticism of a prosecutor for allowing information from a preliminary investigation to be published on the television programme Efterlyst. Also a statement on the Swedish Prosecution Authority’s assistance with JO’s investigation

Summary of the decision: A prosecutor decided to release the names and photographs of two people suspected of attempted murder for publication on the television programme Efterlyst. The measure was intended to illicit the help of the public in localising the suspects. The information that was disclosed was subject to a secrecy provision.

The Parliamentary Ombudsman expresses an opinion on the prerequisites for a disclosure of this kind and on the careful and exhaustive consideration that must precede any such measure. Furthermore, the Parliamentary Ombudsman emphasises that, from the viewpoint of legal certainty, documentation of what has been taken into consideration is a legitimate demand.

The prosecutor is criticised for allowing the disclosure of confidential information without legal grounds for doing so. She is also criticised for not giving sufficiently careful and exhaustive consideration before reaching the decision, as well as for deficiencies in documentation.
The Parliamentary Ombudsman also discusses the constitutional duty of public authorities and civil servants to assist JO in an investigation, and is critical of the Swedish Prosecution Authority’s failure to live up to this demand.