Broad Coalition Urges Sweden To Reject Draft Legislation Undermining Encryption
CDT Europe and 236 civil society organisations, companies, and cybersecurity experts, including members of the Global Encryption Coalition, hailing from 50 countries, are calling on the Swedish Parliament to reject proposed legislation that would undermine encryption, putting Swedish citizens, businesses, and institutions at greater risk. Though intended to combat crime, it would instead introduce vulnerabilities that cybercriminals and hostile actors could exploit, making Sweden less secure.
The legislation would require companies to store and provide law enforcement access to encrypted communications, effectively forcing them to create an encryption backdoor. Security experts, including the Swedish Armed Forces, warn that such backdoors weaken overall security, making private data vulnerable to cyberattacks and espionage. If passed, the law could lead encrypted service providers to reconsider their presence in the Swedish market rather than compromise user security.
This move would particularly endanger those who rely on encryption the most: journalists, activists, survivors of domestic violence, and marginalised communities. International human rights bodies have affirmed the essential role of encryption in protecting privacy and free expression. Moreover, weakening encryption would also threaten national security, with even the Swedish Armed Forces endorsing encrypted tools like Signal for secure communication in relation to non-classified communication of national security professionals.
Sweden should prioritise modern, targeted investigative techniques that uphold digital security and encryption for all users, rather than approaches that risk undermining these protections. We urge the Parliament to reject this dangerous legislation and protect Sweden’s security, privacy, and digital future.
Read the full letter.
