The Old Country Newsletter – April April Din Dumma Sill

Your Weekly Swede-ish

A Tribute to Val Kilmer

We’ve featured Val Kilmer in this segment before, but with his recent passing, we wanted to honor him once again. Best known for roles in Top Gun, The Doors, and Batman Forever, Kilmer had a remarkable career that spanned decades. But did you know he also had Swedish roots? His maternal grandfather, Oskar Samuelson, immigrated from Sweden to the U.S., bringing with him the resilience and creativity that seemed to run in the family. Born in Los Angeles in 1959, Kilmer was the youngest person ever admitted to Juilliard’s drama program, setting the stage for a legendary career. Whether portraying Jim Morrison or trading barbs as Doc Holliday in Tombstone, Kilmer had a magnetic presence on screen.

Sweden Eyes Stricter Rules for Residency Permits

A new proposal could make it easier to deny or revoke residency permits for individuals who fail to meet standards of good conduct, with offenses like benefit fraud or disruptive behavior potentially leading to deportation.

One of Sweden’s most controversial policy reviews under the Tidö Agreement has now been unveiled. The government’s investigator has recommended expanding the grounds for rejecting or withdrawing residency permits based on an individual’s conduct. Under the proposal, factors such as benefit fraud, "dangerous or disruptive behavior," and threats to public order or security could be enough to lose the right to stay in Sweden.

A particularly debated issue is whether statements or opinions could lead to deportation. According to sources cited by SVT, the investigator believes this should be possible if the speech in question poses a threat to public order or is legally punishable.

The proposal also seeks to tighten rules on false information provided to immigration authorities. Currently, the law states that residency permits "may" be revoked in such cases—under the new framework, revocation would become mandatory. Additionally, the time limit on when a permit can be withdrawn would be removed entirely. If implemented, the reforms would mark a significant shift in Sweden’s approach to immigration control, placing greater emphasis on adherence to laws and social norms.

Would you like to feel closer to Sweden? A perfect way to do that would be to have a look at Swedish broadcasts, either current or past. SVT Play is an online streaming service provided by Sveriges Television (SVT), the Swedish national public television broadcaster.

To watch it, one has to be in Sweden – or have access to a VPN provider that can connect to a remote server located in Sweden. Like NordVPN, which sponsors this segment of the newsletter.

By using NordVPN, you can access what SVT Play has to offer – including current news, documentaries about emigrants, live broadcasts from nature events, and much more – by simply connecting to a server in Sweden. Follow the link here to get 74 % off for your first two years and three months (!) of usage. By doing so, you also help support the distribution of this newsletter.

Swedish journalist Joakim Medin has been detained in Turkey, accused of insulting President Erdogan and having links to a terrorist organization. Sweden’s government is now working to secure his release.

Joakim Medin traveled to Istanbul on March 27 to cover the country’s large-scale protests for Swedish newspaper Dagens ETC. Upon arrival, he was taken in for questioning at the airport. More than 24 hours later, his editor confirmed he had been detained, prompting Sweden’s Foreign Ministry to get involved.

By March 29, Turkish authorities had moved Medin to Maltepe prison and assigned him legal representation. Local media reported that he was accused of insulting President Erdogan and having connections to the banned Kurdish organization PKK—allegations Medin’s colleagues strongly deny. The following day, Turkey’s presidential office confirmed his arrest, linking him to an investigation that began after an effigy of Erdogan was hung outside Stockholm’s City Hall in 2023. He was then transferred to the high-security Marmara prison, known for housing political prisoners.

Swedish officials, including Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, have assured the public that Medin’s case is a top priority, with diplomatic efforts underway. On April 1, a message from Medin surfaced from prison: "Journalism is not a crime, in any country."