Swedish authorities have accused a man of spying on exiled members of China’s Uyghur community, alleging he collected information on behalf of Chinese intelligence services.
The suspect was detained on Sunday and appeared in court on Wednesday, where a prosecutor requested that he be held in custody on charges of aggravated espionage.
Mats Ljungqvist, the prosecutor handling the case, stated that the man is suspected of illegally gathering intelligence on individuals from the Uyghur community residing in Sweden.
“The case is highly sensitive and still in its early investigative stages,” Ljungqvist said, adding that no additional details could be disclosed.
Court documents reveal that the suspect, born on April 8, 1967, required a Mandarin interpreter during proceedings, indicating a possible Chinese background.
He is accused of engaging in covert surveillance activities targeting refugees—actions that fall under Sweden’s definition of illegal intelligence gathering against individuals.
Credit: REUTERS/Dilara Senkaya
Sweden’s domestic security agency, SAPO, clarified that such offences are typically aimed at political dissidents and ethnic or religious minorities. “Authoritarian or non-democratic regimes commonly execute this form of espionage,” the agency noted.
The Uyghurs, a predominantly Sunni Muslim ethnic group, originate from China’s northwestern Xinjiang region.
Over the past several years, Beijing has faced mounting international criticism over its treatment of Uyghurs, with human rights organisations and the United Nations accusing it of detaining more than a million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in what some have described as internment camps.
The UN has said these actions may amount to crimes against humanity.
China has consistently denied the allegations, claiming its policies in Xinjiang are aimed at curbing extremism and fostering regional economic growth.
