Swedish appeals court overturns ex-security adviser’s acquittal and fines him
Henrik Landerholm was found grossly negligent over classified documents left at a hotel in 2023. The court imposed 52,000 kronor in fines.
Sweden’s Svea Court of Appeal on October 19 overturned the acquittal of former national security adviser Henrik Landerholm, finding him grossly negligent in handling classified information after he left documents at a hotel in 2023. The Stockholm court imposed fines totalling 52,000 kronor, reversing a district court’s finding that his conduct did not meet the threshold for gross negligence.
The penalty comprises 80 day-fines of 650 kronor each, The Local Sweden reported. Landerholm, who has pleaded not guilty, wrote on X that the guilty verdict was a disappointment, according to The Local.
Why the appeals court reversed the acquittal
The case concerns classified documents Landerholm left at a conference hotel while serving as Sweden’s first national security adviser. The appeals court said people handling sensitive security information must meet high standards. It found that he had been considerably careless when removing items from the security deposit box in which he had stored the documents, according to The Local’s account of the court’s statement.
The court also weighed Landerholm’s senior position and his experience in government roles when assessing his conduct, The Local reported. Reuters quoted the court as saying that he had disclosed the information through gross negligence. The ruling changes the legal assessment of how he handled the documents; neither report establishes that a foreign power obtained them.
What the district court found in 2025
The Attunda District Court acquitted Landerholm in September 2025. It found that he had been negligent, but concluded that the conduct was not grossly negligent. According to The Local, the lower court said the documents could have endangered national security if they had reached a foreign power, but found no evidence that this happened or that Landerholm had deliberately taken risks.
Landerholm resigned as national security adviser in January 2025 after an investigation began. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson had appointed him to the post; the two are childhood friends, The Local reported. The conviction therefore concerns a former senior adviser rather than someone still holding the national security role.
Read in depth: World
Anders Fernstedt describes life outside a £210 million London mansion
The Swedish man has lived on the portico of an unoccupied Knightsbridge house for more than three years, relying on local businesses and a nearby charity.
Singapore haze cuts trade at outdoor restaurants and earnings for buskers
Restaurants and performers describe fewer customers and shorter outdoor sessions as Singapore’s air quality remains unhealthy, according to CNA interviews and an official advisory.
Sources and context
- Swedish appeals court fines ex-national security adviser for gross negligenceThe Straits Times, carrying Reuters reporting
- Swedish PM's friend guilty of 'negligence with classified information'The Local Sweden
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.