Swedish court lets activist off, citing climate emergency
Sweden's Prosecution Authority said on Friday that the public prosecutor had yet to decide on whether to appeal against the decision.
The case concerned a 41-year-old man who took part in a 2022 climate protest that involved blocking traffic in central Stockholm.
Prosecutors charged the man for refusing to move from the road, even after being ordered by police.
The man did not dispute the events but argued that he was innocent as he had acted out of necessity owing to the "ongoing climate emergency".
In a ruling rendered on Wednesday, the Stockholm District Court found that the man was guilty of disobeying police but said the fact that he was acting "with the purpose" of stopping a danger to society meant he should not be punished.
"This is an acute emergency and the effects of climate change are already evident," the court said in its ruling.
"Against this background, we consider that it appears to be manifestly unreasonable to impose a penalty," the court said.
Rulings in Swedish district courts are made by a judge together with lay judges -- usually three of them -- who are not obliged to have legal training.
In this case, the decision was not unanimous.
The judge and one of the lay judges dissented and argued the man should have been given a fine.
Swedish news agency TT noted that rulings where the lay judges overrule the judge are often reversed when they reach a higher court.
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