A Swedish court on Friday acquitted former national security adviser Henrik Landerholm of severe negligence after he left sensitive documents in an unlocked hotel safe in 2023.
The court ruled that while Landerholm had been negligent, his actions did not meet the threshold of “severe negligence” required for conviction. He had faced up to one year in prison if found guilty, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
The case embarrassed Sweden’s prime minister, a childhood friend of Landerholm, and unfolded amid heightened regional tensions following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Sweden abandoned decades of non-alignment and joined NATO in 2024, emerging as a strong backer of Ukraine.
Landerholm, who denied wrongdoing, resigned as national security adviser in January when investigations began.