by Temitope
16/05/2025
A senior Swedish diplomat who was arrested over the weekend in Stockholm on suspicion of espionage has been found dead, according to local media reports.
The Swedish foreign ministry has confirmed the death of an employee, though it declined to disclose further details.
The Swedish Security Service (Säpo) announced the arrest on Monday but withheld the identity of the suspect and specifics of the case.
The following day, public broadcaster SVT revealed that the detained individual was a high-ranking diplomat.
On Wednesday, prosecutors released the suspect from custody but clarified that the investigation was ongoing and he remained under suspicion.
“We regret to confirm that a member of the foreign service has died. Out of consideration for the next of kin, we will not go into further details,” the foreign ministry said in a statement issued on Thursday.
Prodesq news gathered that the individual who was found dead overnight was the same diplomat who had been arrested on spying charges.
His lawyer, Anton Strand, stated earlier in the week that his client firmly denied the allegations and maintained his innocence.
Strand added that after his release, the diplomat sought medical attention and filed a complaint alleging that police had used excessive force during his arrest. He did not disclose the nature or severity of the injuries.
Meanwhile, SVT reported that Säpo was exploring possible links between the case and a recent national security scandal involving Tobias Thyberg, Sweden’s former national security adviser.
Thyberg resigned just hours after his appointment on May 8, following the anonymous leak of compromising photos of him from the dating app Grindr.
SVT clarified that the arrested diplomat was not Thyberg. Thyberg, a seasoned diplomat, previously served as Sweden’s ambassador to Ukraine and Afghanistan during his 24-year career. The broadcaster did not cite specific sources for its claims.
Investigations into the espionage case and the circumstances surrounding the diplomat’s death are still ongoing, according to Swedish authorities.