Sweden’s Supreme Court acquits former Swedbank CEO in freedom of expression case

Sweden’s Supreme Court has acquitted Birgitte Bonnesen, the former CEO of Swedbank, in a case concerning her statements to media about suspected money laundering, a ruling her lawyer calls a “victory for freedom of expression,” Swedish public broadcaster SVT reports.

Bonnesen’s attorney, Per E. Samuelsson, described the verdict as a major relief, arguing that a guilty ruling from the Court of Appeal risked silencing executives. “The Supreme Court has now said that if you act in good faith, you can answer journalists’ questions without lengthy deliberation—you don’t have to fear saying the wrong thing,” he said. “If the media misrepresents your words, that’s the publisher’s responsibility, not yours. This is a victory for freedom of expression.”

The case stemmed from two 2018 interviews Bonnesen gave to Svenska Dagbladet and news agency TT, in which she denied any knowledge of suspicious transactions linked to Danske Bank’s money laundering scandal. Prosecutors alleged she had misled the public, but the Supreme Court ruled her statements were protected under Sweden’s constitutional freedom of expression laws for media sources.

Legal expert Daniel Westman, a specialist in IT and media law, noted that while the ruling clarifies protections for individuals speaking to the press, its broader impact may be limited. “This concerns a very specific situation involving suspected financial crime,” he said. “The decision reinforces that freedom of expression provides stronger safeguards than some assumed, but I doubt it will significantly change how authorities or media operate.”

The Supreme Court’s assessment hinged on whether Bonnesen’s statements were intentionally misleading. It concluded that her responses, though later proven inaccurate, did not meet the threshold for criminal liability, shifting responsibility to the publishing media outlets.