Response to interpellation 2022/23:153 on tax funds to organizations with links to the regime in Iran
Translated from Swedish by AI; the translation may contain errors. The Swedish text is the original.
Summary AI, written in advance
KD wants a modern and transparent regulatory framework for support to religious communities that gives authorities tools to act against communities that do not meet democratic requirements 1 2. KD emphasizes the importance of safeguarding freedom of religion and freedom of association, while simultaneously wanting to stop organizations that spread extremist messages or build parallel societies 1. KD argues that law enforcement authorities should act against illegal acts such as refugee espionage or violations of marriage legislation. KD believes that Swedish state tax funds should not go to organizations that promote extremism or terrorism. KD plans to appoint an inquiry on foreign funding to stop money going to extremist activities.
Written by AI in advance and may contain errors. The numbers lead to the speech a statement builds on; check against the text below.
Socialministern Jakob Forssmed (KD)
Madam Speaker! Nima Gholam Ali Pour has asked me if I intend to take any general measures so that it will not be possible in the future for the Swedish Agency for Support to Religious Communities to pay out tax funds to religious communities with links to the regime in Iran. He has also asked me if I will work to make it possible for the Swedish Agency for Support to Religious Communities to both demand that religious communities distance themselves from organizations with links to the regime in Iran, and to investigate how tax funds have been used by organizations with clear links to the mullahs' regime in Iran. Finally, he has asked me if I intend to change the regulatory framework for support to religious communities so that communities with links to the mullahs' regime in Iran will no longer receive grants.
Let me state that it is crucial for the legitimacy of the state's support for religious communities that funds go to religious communities that contribute to maintaining and strengthening Swedish civil society and democracy. Every time an organization or its leading representatives act in a way that contradicts this, trust is put at risk.
The current legislation regarding the state's support to religious communities is from 1999. Since then, society has developed. The communities that exist in Sweden are far more numerous and originate from different religions. Therefore, the legislation needs to be reviewed for several reasons. The democratic conditions that currently apply have proven to be difficult to apply, and the legislation does not give the Agency for Support to Religious Communities the tools the agency needs to be able to exercise supervision and, if necessary, revoke and reclaim support.
My and the government's objective is that we should have a system in place that gives the authorities tools to act when it is revealed that a religious community receiving state grants does not live up to the requirements set in the legislation.
The question of introducing a new democratic condition is being prepared within the Government Offices, and the government intends to return to the issue.
The investigation into the review of support for civil society (Ku 2020:02) proposes in its final report Right recipient - Review and integrity (SOU 2021:99) that a support function be established where authorities can turn if they are unsure whether an organization or a religious community is conducting activities with links to extremism. This proposal is also being prepared for those present within the Government Offices.
The Government intends further to appoint an inquiry into foreign funding of religious communities and other organizations in the civil society area.
Religious communities make a very big difference for many people in Sweden. They are an important part of civil society. A strong civil society is, for me, one of the most important components of a democratic society. In a strong civil society, there is room for a breadth of associations, activities, and opinions. What we want to achieve is to stop the possibility for the few organizations that exploit the system to be able to spread extremist and violence-glorifying messages or even contribute to a parallel society being built up.
Nima Gholam Ali Pour (SD)
Madam Speaker! The Islamist oppression exists in Iran, but the ideological relatives of the mullahs are also here in Sweden. They are in Järfälla. They have a mosque there that is part of an umbrella organization, the Islamic Shia Communities in Sweden, which in turn regularly receives grants from the Swedish state.
As I demonstrated in my interpellation to the Minister, the largest member association in the Islamic Shia Communities has close ideological and organizational links to the regime in Iran. The organizational links consist, among other things, of the fact that the same divorce that can be carried out in an Iranian court in Tehran can be carried out at the Imam Ali Islamic Center in Järfälla. The Mullahs' regime recognizes divorces carried out at the Imam Ali Islamic Center because they are carried out according to Iranian law.
The person who wishes to divorce at Imam Ali Islamic Center in Järfälla must present the ID card that the person has received from the Islamic Republic of Iran. The woman lacks the right to divorce at Imam Ali Islamic Center in Järfälla, because that is how it works in an Iranian court under the regime of the mullahs. It is the same woman-oppressing rules for divorce.
There is no doubt that Imam Ali Islamic Center is an administrative branch of the regime's courts. That is precisely why it is inappropriate for tax money to be allocated to an umbrella organization in which Imam Ali Islamic Center is included. It is inappropriate for tax money to be allocated to organizations that implement Islamist law, where the woman is considered less worthy than the man, in Sweden.
There is an ideological connection to the regime in Iran. Imam Ali Islamic Center posts clips on its own YouTube channel where they have pictures of Ayatollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, and Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran's current dictator, hung on the walls. It is common knowledge that these mentioned individuals are responsible for terrorism and the death of many innocent people. The question is: Why do they honor such people?
An even more interesting question is perhaps why tax money is allocated to an Islamist umbrella organization whose member associations have clear links to the mullahs in Iran. That mass murderers hide behind a religion - in this case Islam - does not mean they can be exonerated; they are still mass murderers.
It is true that we have an authority that is to support religious communities, but how can Swedish tax money be allocated to organizations that support a regime that today murders innocent people in the open street? At some point, one should consider this unacceptable. Those who support such a regime, or any villainous regime whatsoever, have no right to the taxpayers' money.
Socialministern Jakob Forssmed (KD)
Madam Speaker! I thank Nima Gholam Ali Pour for the question.
Let me first say that the Swedish government has nothing to lose regarding the regime in Iran. We have condemned the human rights violations occurring there, the killing of peaceful people protesting against the regime, and the oppression of women and of those who think differently. We have called the ambassador to protest against this. We have also acted in various ways within the EU to mark our opposition to the Iranian regime. We have participated in decisions and, even as chair, pushed for more people to be placed on the sanctions list.
The Government's view is that state grants should not go to organizations or religious communities that in different ways promote extremism or terrorism. It is, however, the case, which I believe the member is well aware of, that I as a minister cannot comment on individual decisions that an authority has made regarding the awarding of grants to any specific religious community or any specific congregation. These are authority decisions that I am not to review in that manner.
I know that the authority is following the issue and that there is a dialogue with the religious communities and that actions are taken in different ways when different types of irregularities are discovered on a general level.
In my initial response to the Member of Parliament, I have also pointed out the general measures that the government is working on and which we plan to take in various ways to obtain a more modern and transparent regulatory framework that is also clearer, easier to apply, and has a better effect in relation to any groups that engage in activities that do not strengthen but undermine democracy.
Nima Gholam Ali Pour (SD)
Madam Speaker! I am well aware that the government has condemned the regime in Iran. Therefore, it appears strange that we have authorities that allocate tax funds to this regime's supporters here in Sweden. It is this that I am trying to point out in my interpellation.
Religious communities that support extremism should not receive tax funds, but they still do today. I understand that this is a legacy from the Social Democratic government's tenure.
There is no doubt that the Islamic revolution in Iran made life much worse for women and Middle East and the world much more insecure. On Imam Ali Islamic Centers website, one can see that they celebrate the victory of the Islamic revolution. This is a celebration that is only carried out by those who support the mullahs' regime. There is no doubt that Imam Ali Islamic Center, which is part of Islamiska Shiasamfunden i Sverige, supports the regime in Iran and acts to expand the regime's influence.
I have a great understanding that the Swedish government cannot influence the course of events in Iran to a greater extent. Sweden's influence in the world is limited, even more so now that we have a multipolar world order.
There is, however, no reason for Swedish authorities to allocate tax funds to organizations that obviously have close ties to the regime in Iran. There is no reason to give away tax funds to a political force that has zero respect for freedom, democracy, and human dignity.
Something that would be interesting to know is whether Imam Ali Islamic Center has received a share of the tax funds that the Swedish state has allocated to the Islamic Association of Sweden (Islamiska Shiasamfunden i Sverige). How has an umbrella organization with such close links to the regime used these tax funds? We know very well that the regime in Iran conducts intelligence activities in Sweden and tries to influence Swedish politics. Such a regime would not hesitate to use Swedish tax funds to achieve its goals. Thus, it becomes quite problematic to allocate tax funds and thereby strengthen organizations that are friendly toward and have links to the Iranian regime.
Madam Speaker! The Minister and the responsible authorities must realize that regimes like the one in Iran do not believe in freedom of religion. They see the Swedish support for religious communities as an opportunity to expand their influence. In countries like Iran, mosques are used as places to torture people. Links between religious institutions in Sweden and such regimes must be taken seriously – which I know this government does.
It must be possible to see and understand such threats from regimes that are prepared to exploit the Swedish regulatory framework and Swedish naivety to achieve their goals, while we simultaneously consider and respect freedom of religion. Guarding freedom of religion cannot mean that we completely disarm ourselves against foreign threats. Islamism has been a relevant threat for more than 40 years, and it is high time that Swedish tax money stops going to Islamists.
Socialministern Jakob Forssmed (KD)
Madam Speaker! It is quite as the member says that there are regimes around the world that want to expand their power and that do not have human rights, democracy, freedom of association, and freedom of religion in sight but want other things. This we shall, of course, counteract regardless of in what forms it manifests itself in our country. Unlike these regimes, we have freedom of association and freedom of religion in Sweden, and it is incredibly important and well worth defending. All religions shall be able to be practiced in a good way, and for example, Muslims shall not be pushed out in different ways by foreign regimes, which can occur.
This is incredibly urgent to work with, and a good part of what the member is raising should be the subject of law enforcement authorities, for example if one does not follow Swedish marriage legislation. It is very important that women and men in our country have the same rights. Also, if different types of refugee espionage and other things are conducted, it is incredibly important that law enforcement authorities act against this. It is my opinion that they do so and that they take it seriously and conduct a very good and serious work regarding different types of regimes and interests that operate in Sweden in an illegal and improper way to hinder our democracy.
Regarding the money, these decisions are made by the Agency for Support to Religious Communities, which also has the opportunity to follow up in annual reports and other ways on how the money has been used. But to follow the money in more detail, if the member is referring to that, other efforts are required from, among others, law enforcement agencies.
As I said at the beginning, the government is working on a general level to review how this legislation can function better and more clearly and also provide greater opportunity to introduce sanctions. But even today, dialogue is also being held with organizations to ensure that they act within the current regulatory framework.
As a Minister, I cannot step in and comment on an individual case. It is simply not possible.
Nima Gholam Ali Pour (SD)
Madam Speaker! The Minister should know that his work to clean up after the Social Democrats and their cozying up with Islamists is much appreciated.
The problem, however, is that it will take time before all these investigations are complete, and during that time, the residents of Järfälla, regardless of background, will see tax money being allocated to a mosque that honors the regime in Iran. This injustice will be a reality for those who see it, even if the Minister of Justice has a solid plan to address this problem.
This injustice will be strengthened every time an execution occurs in Iran or when a young man or woman is shot to death by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard. Therefore, it is important that the government from now on is very clear towards the institutions that support dictatorships and that have received state support that their time in Sweden is over. The government must be clear that authorities from now on will actively counteract supporters of dictatorship such as Imam Ali Islamic Center.
What also must be considered in new legislation is that different religious communities or organizations can, such as Imam Ali Islamic Center, use other associations as fronts. Certain actors and rogue states see the possibilities in the Swedish regulatory framework, and in their malice, they perceive us as naive. This attitude of certain rogue states must be acknowledged and addressed. I hope that the government will do so in its work moving forward.
Socialministern Jakob Forssmed (KD)
Madam Speaker! I thank the member again for the interpellation and the opportunity to be clear that Swedish state tax funds shall not go to religious communities or organizations that promote extremism or terrorism, and that law enforcement authorities shall have good opportunities to act against various organizations that act for a regime, for example, in an illegal or improper manner. This is also important in order to maintain support for state support to religious communities, which in itself is very important for people to be able to exercise their freedom of religion. It is also important so that all religious communities that do not engage in extremism or terrorism – which is the vast majority – shall have good opportunities to engage in diaconia, pastoral care, worship, and community life in different ways.
I have accounted for the measures and the preparatory work currently underway in the Government Offices so that we can obtain a more modern regulatory framework. We will also appoint an inquiry into foreign funding of Swedish religious communities to create better opportunities to stop an influx of money that could go towards different types of extremist activities. It is nothing we want to see, and therefore we plan to appoint this inquiry.
Finally: The regime in Iran is a terrible regime that is currently oppressing a people in a brutal and ruthless way. We have nothing to offer them, but we naturally want – just as I know the interpellor wants – to see a free and democratic Iran where people, women and men, are allowed to live their lives in freedom, which, just as we do, they have every right to do.
Source: The Swedish Parliament. The speeches come from the open data of the Riksdag, translated into English by AI, which may contain errors.