Legal information

Current and future wars are prepared at NEAT. Weapons companies and armed forces come here to practice, exercises that gets real, disastrous consequences in other parts of the world. Exposing, disrupting and stopping the activities at NEAT is therefore not a crime - it is to enforce the law.

Courts in Sweden has, unfortunately, so far chosen to ignore people's right to intervene to prevent suffering and death and has - instead of putting NEAT and militarism on trial - condemned peace activists who has tried to stop the war preparations. But we will not be silenced! The following legal information is available for us to feel as safe and prepared as possible before any meetings with the legal system during War starts here.

First, a few starting points:

• The legal system is neither predictable or legally secure. The information below is therefore based on legal texts, past experiences and on what is "likely".
• The legal system and the police are permeated by racism and other oppressions. Who you are and what privileges you have therefore affect your experience of it.
• In contact with the legal system and the police, we support each other and show solidarity. We take responsibility for our own actions, including legal consequences.

Solidarity Work at War starts here

Before, during and after War starts here, the so-called "solidarity group" will deal with everything legally. During the week, the solidarity group can answer your questions regarding the law and will hold a legal workshop. We also have contact with lawyers if needed.
 
The solidarity Group keeps track of any arrests and maintains contact with the police and legal system if needed. They pick people up at the police station, they provide practical and emotional support in case anyone needs it during and after the action. If anyone would be detained the solidarity grup works with prisoner support, writing letters, sending in books etc.

NEAT and "protected areas"

The military training area NEAT, the airport F21 in Luleå and other military sites in northern Sweden are classified as special "protected areas" under "Skyddslagen" ("the protect law"). Such "protected areas" are considered especially important to protected against sabotage, terrorism, espionage or aggravated robbery. Besides military areas the law applies to administrative buildings, the monarchy, or areas used for energy, radio or telecommunications.

It is not just the airport itself which is classified as a protected area, but also the grounds around it, outside the fence. A regular road runs through the airport perimeter. It is permitted to pass on the road, but not to stay on it. At maps.google.com there are excellent maps of the airport if you want to see how it looks.

Some special rules applying to protected areas
A person who guards a protected building (such as the military or a civilian guard) has certain rights which normally only the police have. Guards has the right to reject, remove or temporarily attain a person within or close to the protected area if the person violates any rules in the special law. Guards also has the same powers as the police to arrest people suspected for espionage, sabotage, terrorism or aggravated robbery.

It is often prohibited to take photographs, make descriptions or measure a protected area (This is the case of NEAT). The police or guard has the power to confiscate your camera if you take pictures into the area. There is a risk that you will not get the camera back.

Anyone who is staying next to a protected area must - on request - give their name, date of birth and place of residence, submit to body searches, and let the police/guard search their vehicle. It is not a crime to refuse this but the polic/guard has the right to remove or attain of you if you refuse.

What could happen if you violate the "protection law"?
It is a crime to go into a protected area, and anyone who does can be tried for "crimes against the protection law". In practice, it has happened that people who entered these areas has been convicted of "trespassing" under the common law instead of the special "protection law".

Violation of the protection law can give you fines or imprionment for the maximum of one year. In all cases that we know of, the legal consequences has been fines, with a higher ammount for repeated violation. Previous actions at protected areas in Sweden have gotten the following legal consequences:

- In the summer of 2009 two people went in to the protection around the *military airport at NEAT* to do a civilian weapons inspection. They were inside the protected area, but outside the fence when they were arrested. Both were swedish citizens, they were convicted but release after inquiry and (a year later) sentenced to fines for violatint the protection law.

- In the summer of 2009 and 2010 several people entered the *military airport F21 in Luleå*. Some were arrested inside the airport itself, others outside the fence but inside the protected area. All were swedish citizens, they were convicted but released after inquiry and (a year later) sentenced to fines for violating the protection law. Three people have appeald the case and a new trial will take place in the autumn of 2011.

- During the summer of 2009 and 2010 several people went into the *military training area NEAT* and stayed between a few hours and several days. Some of the people went out again without detection, some where convicted but had their prosecutions terminated and some were sentenced to fines for violating the protection law. All were swedish citizens and all convicted were released after inquiry.

- In the summer of 2010 Greenpeace activists enter the protected area of the Forsmark nuclear power. The activists who were from Sweden or Norway were released after inquiry, but the foreign activists (all were citizens of the EU) were held a couple of weeks until trial. Basis for the detention was "escape risk". The activists were not sentenced for violation of the protection law, but the "trespassing", to fines.

- In the summer of 2007, a Swedish citizen and a non-European national entered a weapons industry industrial zone, a protected area in Karlskoga, and painted a broken rifle on a tank. The person who was not a Swedish citizen, was detained three days motivated by "escape risk", but released after a detention hearing. The Swedish colleague was released immediately after questioning. Both were convicted of "trespassing" and vandalism. They got fines and had to pay for reparation of the tank.

Note: fines in Sweden are based on your income. In all cases above, activised has been sentenced to between 30 and 80 "daily fines". The lowest amount a daily fine can be is 30 SEK (if you're unemployed, a student, a part-time worker...) and the amount raises with your salary.

Information for non-swedish citizens

• The protection law does not distinguish between Swedish and non-Swedish citizens. It is not "more "illegal" for a non-Swedish citizen to go into NEAT.
• Non-swedish citizens are considered to have a higher "escape risk", which means that the risk increases that you are detained until trial if you commit a crime. If the police arrests you and wants to keep you more than the allowed 8 hours, they must get a permission from a prosecuter who can decide to keep you for another three days. After these three days there must be a hearing in front of a judge who decides if they can keep you. We'll put more information about these precedures soon.
• As a non-Swedish citizen, you can be deported from Sweden if you are convicted of a crime. Deportation due to crime is only possible if you are sentenced to a heavier penalty than fines and you are likely to continue with criminal activities or your offense are considered so serious that you should not be allowed to stay. The court decides about deportation and can include a prohibition to return to Sweden for a certain time or indefinitely.

Bustcards

Below you can download and print "bustcards", small card with your rights in the meeting with the swedish legal system. The bustcards are from radikaldistro.com

Bustcards in swedish
Bustcards in english
Bustcards in spanish