The United Nations Human Rights Committee has ruled that Sweden violated the right to life of a child with severe disabilities after deporting him twice to Albania.
The decision followed a complaint concerning E.B., a 21-year-old Albanian diagnosed with multiple serious conditions, including autism, cerebral palsy, hydrocephalus and epilepsy.
E.B. and his family first arrived in Sweden in 2012 seeking protection and access to medical care. However, after years of failed asylum applications and appeals, Swedish authorities deported the family in 2016, when the boy was just 10 years old.
According to the committee, the family later returned to Sweden without legal status to continue his treatment. Despite submitting repeated applications for residency, their requests were denied. They were deported again in 2019, when E.B. was 14.
The committee stressed that countries must carry out a “rigorous and individualised assessment” before deporting individuals with serious medical needs. This includes confirming that essential treatment and medication will be accessible in the receiving country.
In its March 30 decision, the committee found that Sweden failed to verify whether adequate medical care would be available in Albania. As a result, authorities exposed the child to a “real risk of irreparable harm.”
The ruling concluded that Sweden breached E.B.’s right to life and his protection from cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.
Committee Vice Chair Wafaa Bassim said states must not remove individuals when there are substantial grounds to believe they could face serious harm in their destination country.
E.B. told the committee he has since returned to Sweden again but is facing another deportation order. The committee has urged Swedish authorities to review his case and consider granting asylum or residency, as well as providing compensation.
While the committee cannot enforce its rulings, its decisions carry significant international and reputational weight, as it oversees compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
