Swedish prison service moves gender-transitioned inmate after safety complaints at women’s jail

After a review highlighted problems at a women’s prison in Ystad, a convicted murderer who had legally changed gender to female was relocated to a men’s correctional facility. Female inmates at the Ystad prison reported instances of sexual harassment and expressed fear toward the individual, prompting alerts from both staff and the prison workers’ union. The Swedish Prison and Probation Service explained that placement decisions normally follow the inmate’s legal gender, but a special-case provision allows for exceptions after individual assessment.

The agency could not provide numbers on how many biologically male inmates have been placed in women’s prisons, as it does not track gender-change status, though officials said only a few cases are known. The incident has reignited debate over whether one outlet prison law adequately addresses such situations, with a legislative review slated for presentation at the end of the year.