‘Did Not Last Long Enough’: Court Lets Refugee Convicted Of Raping Teen Stay In Country

By Derek Vanbuskirk

A Swedish court ruled that an Eritrean refugee convicted of raping then-16-year-old Meya Åberg will not be deported after serving his sentence due to the “duration of the incident.”

Eighteen-year-old Yazied Mohamed allegedly sexually assaulted the teenager on Sept. 1, 2024, while she was walking home from her shift at McDonald’s after missing the bus, according to La Derecha Diario. (RELATED: Mob Torches Police Van Outside Migrant Hotel After 10-Year-Old Girl Allegedly Sexually Assaulted)

Åberg’s family immediately reported the incident, according to the outlet. Mohamed was sentenced to three years in prison, but the Alto Norrland Court of Appeals reportedly ruled the rape “did not last long enough” to be classified as an “exceptionally serious crime,” so it did not necessitate deportation.

“Rape is, in many cases, considered an exceptionally serious offense that could justify the deportation of a refugee. However, each case must be evaluated individually. Given the nature and duration of the incident, the court considers that it doesn’t constitute an exceptionally serious crime that warrants deportation,” the court stated.

The court was referring to a United Nations (UN) 1951 rule on the status of refugees, which states that Mohamed and other refugees have their status protected except in extreme cases. The court ruled there was no current threat to public order, and Mohamed will stay in Sweden following his sentence, according to the report.

Europe has seen a steady flow of similar stories, where some migrants receive minor punishments after sexually assaulting women and girls.

A 2018 report from a Swedish public broadcaster found that 58% of all rapes or attempted rapes in Sweden were committed by foreigners.