Swedish government proposes doubled prison sentences for gang-related crimes

The Swedish government has announced plans to introduce harsher penalties for crimes committed in gang environments, including doubling prison sentences for offenders, SVT Nyheter reports.

Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer (Moderate Party) presented the proposal at a press conference on Thursday, calling it “an entirely new system of criminal sanctions” and the largest penal reform since the 1960s.

Under the new rules, set to take effect on 1 August, gang-related offences would carry twice the current sentence length. For example, a gang member caught with a loaded firearm could face eight years in prison instead of the current four.

The proposal is part of a broader package of legislative changes aimed at combating organised crime.