A recent decision by a Swedish court has ignited controversy, as it ruled that an Eritrean refugee convicted of raping a teenager will not be deported after serving his sentence. The court's justification: the “duration of the incident,” which they argued did not make the crime "exceptionally serious" enough to warrant deportation.

Eighteen-year-old Yazied Mohamed was convicted of raping 16-year-old Meya Åberg on September 1, 2024. Åberg was walking home from her shift at McDonald’s after missing the bus when Mohamed allegedly attacked her. Her family immediately reported the crime, leading to Mohamed's conviction and a three-year prison sentence. However, the Alto Norrland Court of Appeals determined that the assault was not long enough in duration to meet the criteria for an "exceptionally serious crime," thus ruling out deportation after his sentence.

The court referred to the 1951 United Nations Refugee Convention, which protects refugees from deportation except in extreme cases. In this instance, the court found no threat to public order from Mohamed, thus allowing him to stay in Sweden after serving his sentence.

This decision is part of a broader trend across Europe, where some migrants convicted of serious crimes, including sexual assaults, receive relatively lenient punishments. In Sweden, a 2018 report revealed that 58% of all rapes or attempted rapes were committed by foreigners, raising concerns about the effectiveness of current legal frameworks.

Critics argue that such rulings send the wrong message about the consequences of serious crimes and could undermine public trust in the justice system. The case has sparked widespread debate over the balance between refugee protections and ensuring justice for victims of violent crimes.