Swedish fishermen in Western Sahara found not guilty
Article image
The two Swedish fishermen accused of illegal fishing outside the coast of Western Sahara were found not guilty by the district court in Gothenburg, Sweden, on 28 November. The prosecutor will appeal the decision.
Published 04 December 2012


In a hard-to-read statement from the district court of Gothenburg, Sweden, published 26 November, the court explained that two Swedish fishermen in question indeed carried out the activity in Western Sahara as described by the prosecutor.

The two Swedes were before the courts for fisheries activities offshore Western Sahara without the right permissions in its national registries. WSRW has followed the case over the last years.

The court concluded indeed that they had been fishing without the required permissions, and lent little credibility to their explanation that they had not fished themselves. The fishermen claimed they had only rented out their vessels to a Moroccan company.

Inspite of this, the court found them not guilty due to a formality in the description of the alleged crime.

The prosecutor James von Reis told the Swedish magazine Västsahara that he intends to appeal against the verdict to the court of appeal, and that the case will return before the courts hopefully during the spring in 2013.

Swedish vessels entering occupied waters

Swedish fishing vessels are being exported to occupied Western Sahara.  

29 June 2023

New report: Sweden must advise companies on Western Sahara

Sweden is known for paying lip-service to Saharawi self-determination, but is it putting its money where its mouth is? Check out our newly published report on Sweden's involvement in the taking of occupied Western Sahara's natural resources.

27 September 2017

Swedish fishermen to pay fine for Western Sahara fisheries

Two Swedish fishermen are obliged to pay a half a million euro fine for fishing in occupied Western Sahara.
15 December 2015

Swedish fishermen guilty of illegal fisheries

An eight year long legal process in Sweden has come to an end. The two Swedish fishermen which were fishing offshore occupied Western Sahara without proper licences are found guilty.
23 April 2015