Suspect Arrested for Alleged Espionage on Refugees for China

A man has been detained since Sunday under suspicion of espionage activities linked to the Chinese government. Prior to his arrest, he had been sought by authorities for two days.

According to prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist, the individual is accused of unlawfully gathering intelligence on individuals within the Uyghur community on behalf of the Chinese intelligence service. A second person is also under investigation in connection with this case.

The preliminary hearing for the custody case is set to take place at Solna District Court at 4 PM on Wednesday. Ljungqvist emphasized the sensitivity of the investigation, stating that it is still in its early stages and that further details cannot be disclosed at this time.

This incident marks a continuation of a troubling trend in Sweden, where individuals have previously been convicted for spying on refugees for the Chinese state. Notably, in 2010, a 62-year-old man received a prison sentence for monitoring his fellow Uyghurs, while in 2018, a 49-year-old was sentenced for spying on exiled Tibetans.

Björn Jerdén, head of the National Knowledge Center on China at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs, remarked that these cases suggest a longstanding issue of refugee-related espionage in Sweden. However, he noted the difficulty in assessing the prevalence of such activities without access to classified security and intelligence materials. Jerdén added that various forms of espionage, including refugee spying, cyber espionage, and industrial espionage, are employed by China and other nations across the globe.

According to Jerdén, the Chinese Communist Party's motivations for engaging in espionage against refugees stem from a desire to eliminate potential threats to its authoritarian regime. This often results in the surveillance and pressure exerted on expatriates, particularly minority groups like the Uyghurs and Tibetans. The CCP aims to control these populations and prevent any fragmentation that could challenge its authority. Tactics may include threats to individuals or their family members residing in China, as well as efforts to gather intelligence and map out communities of those living outside the country.