The United Nations Human Rights Committee has faulted Sweden for breaching the rights of a severely disabled child by deporting him twice to Albania without confirming access to adequate medical care.
The case involves E.B., a now 21-year-old Albanian national living with multiple complex conditions, including autism, cerebral palsy, and epilepsy. He first arrived in Sweden with his family in 2012 in search of protection and medical treatment. However, after several unsuccessful asylum applications, the family was deported in 2016 when he was just 10 years old.
According to the committee, the family later returned to Sweden without legal status to continue his treatment, but their renewed attempts to secure residency were denied. They were deported again in 2019, when he was 14.
In its March 30 ruling, the committee stressed that authorities must conduct detailed, case-by-case assessments before deporting individuals with serious medical needs, ensuring that essential treatment is both available and accessible in the destination country. It found that Swedish officials failed to properly verify whether E.B. could receive the necessary care in Albania, thereby exposing him to a serious risk of harm.
The committee concluded that Sweden’s actions violated his right to life and protections against inhuman or degrading treatment under international law. It has urged Swedish authorities to re-examine the case, reconsider his asylum or residency status, and provide appropriate compensation.
Although the committee’s rulings are not legally binding, they carry considerable international influence and are used to evaluate compliance with global human rights standards, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.