Petition against the so-called "duty to inform" i.e. Informationsplikt

The government has announced a proposal that would require employees in the public sector to report people without residence permits in Sweden. This will require university teachers, researchers, and operational support within the university to report people, such as our students.
The terms of reference for the Committee on Strengthening Return Operations were adopted on 30 June 2022. According to these, the investigator has to consider "whether, and if so how" an increased exchange of information should take place between different authorities to strengthen the work of enforcing expulsion decisions. The investigation directives also exclude in advance "the cases where there is a right to education or health care" (Kommittédirektiv s. 13 f.).
The additional directives dated August 30, 2023, change the assignment so that "the investigator, regardless of the position on the matter, shall submit proposals for a regulation that involves an expanded exchange of information". Furthermore, the assignment is changed so that the investigator should not exclude any activities from the information obligation in advance. In addition, the assignment is added to investigate the consequences that may follow from non-compliance with the information obligation (Tilläggsdirektiv s. 16).

The Ph.D. students in the doctoral committee at the Department of Sociology and Work Science wish to make the following statement on the so-called Informant Law that the government wishes to introduce:

To our students
Our teaching role, and our strong links to the teaching profession, demand a particular responsibility for all those who attend our courses. We stand for everyone's right to a safe existence. We believe that education is a fundamental right that cannot be taken away from anyone - regardless of citizenship, residence permit, or asylum status.

To our research participants
Our role as researchers is firmly rooted in the number one principle of research ethics: Do no harm! Our main responsibility is towards the people that agree to take part in our research, to make sure that they as participants are protected from harm. We stand for everyone’s right to a safe existence and will never jeopardize the safety of our research participants, regardless of citizenship, residence permit, or asylum status.

To our colleagues in universities and colleges
The law currently under consideration would force us as university teachers to act contrary to the ethical principles of the teaching profession and legal foundations such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Education Act. At the same time as we teach these principles and laws, we would then have to teach that they should be disregarded in the cases of certain students.
As researchers, the law would equally force us to go against our professional ethics. This would have a major impact on our possibilities of doing research, especially such concerning vulnerable groups in society.
In turn, the university's mission is to organize education and research and to cooperate with the surrounding society so that the knowledge available at the university benefits society. It is not part of either the teacher's, the researcher's, or the university's tasks to inform the Migration Agency and the Police Authority about their activities or those who participate in them. On the contrary, the so-called duty to inform goes against the teacher's educational mission, undermines academic freedom, and is contrary to our professional ethics.

To our colleagues in other parts of the public sector
This statement joins similar statements from universities, trade unions, local authorities, regions, employers, and workplaces opposing the imposition of policing duties on public sector employees. An example from the academic world is Rector Anders Hagfelt of Uppsala University who claims that the planned law "goes against our foundation, against our essence". And, Rektorn Malin Broberg who has been urged to call on the government to close the investigation.*** The more who speak out against Informant Law becoming law, the more likely it is that the government will withdraw its plans to force public sector employees to become informers.


The signatories of this statement call on Rektorn Malin Broberg to make another statement calling Informant Law incompatible with the professional duties and ethics of university teachers, researchers, and operational support within the university. The statement and signatures have been sent to Rektorn Malin Broberg on March 29, 2024.


If you have any questions, contact Megan Rådesjö (chairperson), or Lotte Schack (vice-chair).

*** An earlier version of this petition erroneously stated that Malin Broberg called on the government to close the investigation.

These signatures from employees of Gothenburg University were collected from February 15 to March 29, 2024:

Megan Rådesjö, Doctoral committee Chair, Doctoral Candidate, Sociology and Work Science
Lotte Schack, Doctoral student, Sociology and Work Science
Isabel Köhler, Doctoral student, Sociology and Work Science
Sarah Philipson Isaac, PhD, Department of Sociology and Work Science
Malin Ekerstedt, Doctoral Candidate, Sociology and Work Science
Nathan Siegrist, Doctoral student, Sociology and Work Science
Johanna Finnholm, Doctoral Candidate, Sociology and Work Science
Elaheh Kimia, PhD student, Sociology and Work Science
Marie Sundström, Doctoral student, Sociology and Work Science
Sona Sukiasyan, Doctoral student, Sociology and Work Science
Karl Malmqvist, Senior Lecturer, Sociology and Work Scence
Mattias Bengtsson, Associate Professor, Sociology and Work Science
Benedict Singleton, Docent, Institutionen för sociologi och arbetsvetenskap
Ylva Wallinder, Senior Lecturer, Sociology and Work Science
Jenny Bengtsson, Senior Lecturer, Education, Communication and Learning
Matilda Lindmark, Communications Officer, Department of Sociology and Work Science
Kerstin Jacobsson, Professor, Socioogy and Work Science
Merete Hellum, Senior Lecturer, Sociology and Work Science
Anton Törnberg, Associate professor, Sociology and Work Science
Anneline Sander, teacher, Sociology and work Science
Tone Försund, Teacher, Sociology and work science
Anna Jobrant, Bemanningsansvarig, Institutionen för sociologi och arbetsvetenskap
Kristin Wiksell, Senior Lecturer, Sociology and Work Science
Denis Frank, Docent, Sociology and work science
Patrik Vulkan, Senior Lecturer, Sociology and Work Science
Lea Eldstål-Ahrens, Doctoral candidate, Education, Communication and Learning
Anna Hedenus, Associate professor, Sociology and Work Science
Sophie Banasiak, Doctoral Student, Sociology and Work Science
Maggie O'Neill, Doctoral student, Pedagogical, Curricular, and Professional Studies
Nadia Ruiz, Doctoral candidate, Applied IT
Jabbar Hussain, Doctoral Candidate , Applied IT
Christina Nilsson, PhD candidate, Informatics
Christina Löfving, Doctoral student, Applied IT
Veronica Daver Ideböhn, Chairperson GUDK, PhD student, Physics
Carl Michael Karlsson, Doktorand, Pedagogiskt arbete
Izabella Csonka, Doctoral student, AIT
Robin Jonsson, Postdoc, Sociology and Work Science
Rasha Al Massalmeh, Ph.D , IT
Helena Håkansson, Doctoral student, Sociology and Work Science
Cathrin Wasshede, Docent, Departmewnt of Sociology and Work Science
Hedvig Lärka, Doctoral Student, Department of Law
Eva-Maria Svensson, Professor, Law
Clara Bergstrand, Chairperson HHDR, Doctoral Candidate, Department of Law
Matilda Arvidsson, Assistant Senior Lecturer, Law
Lovisa Fransson, Doctoral student, Department of Law
Karin Åberg, Doctoral Candidate, Law
Andreas Moberg, Senior Lecturer, Department of Law
Caroline Önnebro, PhD, Education, Communication and Learning
Kristina Wejstål, Doctoral Candidate, CERGU, Department of Law
Håkan Gustafsson, Professor, Dept of Law
Erik Espeland, PhD, Journalism, Media & Communication
Yannick de Raaff, Doctoral student, Historical studies
Samah ibrahim, PhD, swedish and multilingualism
Thomas Aerts, PhD Student, Languages and literatures
Denis Sukhino-Khomenko, Doktorand, Department of Historical Studies
Staffan von Arbin, Doctoral student, Historical studies
Julie Shipp, Doktorand, History
Ditte Kvist Johnson, Doctoral student, Department of Historical Studies
Jelle Tjeerd Fokkens, PhD student, FLoV
Julian Moyano Di Carlo, Doctoral student, Historical Studies
Rakel Gunnemark, PhD Student, The Department of Historical Studies
Viktoria Strandberg, Doctoral student, Swedish, multilingualism and language technology
Klas Hjortstam, PhD student, SFS
Stian Rødven-Eide, Doctoral researcher, Svenska, flerspråkighet och språkteknologi
Anja Allwood, doctoral student, Swedish, multilingualism, language technology
Sivi Järivnen, Doctoral student, Department of Swedish, Multilingualism, Language Technology
Gregor Rettenegger, PhD candidate, Journalism, Media, and Communication
Jens Carlesson Magalhães, Chair of Humanistiska doktorandrådet, Doctoral student, Historical studies
Simon Bauer, PhD candidate , Swedish, Multilingualism, Language Technology
Anna Gustavsson, PhD candidate, Historical studies
Daniela Perez Guerrero, PhD student, Physics
Ricardo Muñoz Sánchez, PhD, Swedish, multilingualism, language technology
Nicolas Femia, Doctoral Student, Department of Swedish, Multilingualism, Language Technology
Louise Backelin, Phd student, Languages and Litterature
Eric Ragan, PhD Student, Business Administration
Angeliki Dimaki-Adolfsen, Doctoral Student, HDK-Valand
Nkule Mabaso, Phd student, HDK Valand
Mark Tatlow, Doktorand, Academy of Music and Drama
Gideon Jägenstedt, PhD Student, Physics
Vide Ramsten, PhD Student, Physics
Jesús Manuel Antúnez Domínguez, PhD student, Physics
Mirja Granfors, PhD student, Physics
Victor H. Gonzalez, Doctoral student, Physics
Jesus Pineda, PhD Student, Physics
Norma Caridad Palmero Cruz, Ph.D, Physics
Pernilla Myrne, Associate professor, Languages and literatures
Emelie Olsson, PhD Student, Physics
Sebastian Svenberg, Researcher, Department of Sociology and Work Science
Oksana Shmulyar Green, Teacher, Sociology and Work Science
Carl Cassegård, Professor, Sociology and work science
Katarzyna Wojnicka, Associate Professor, Sociology and Work Science
Elin Nyström, teacher, Sociology and work Science
Gabriella Elgenius, Professor , Sociology and Work Science
Mattias Wahlström, Docent, Sociology and Work Science
Leo Berglund, Senior Lecturer, Sociology and Work Scence
Aziz-Kaan Dönmez, PhD Student, Department of Psychology
Pär Stern, PhD Student, Dept. of Psychology
Sara Margretsdotter Larsson, Adjunkt, Sociologi och Arbetsvetenskap
Renuka Gustavsson, Education administrator, Sociology and Work Science
Hanna Larsson, PhD student, Psychology
Isabelle Giddy, Postdoc, Marine sciences
Benjamin Kutrowski Valente, Doktorand, Språk och litteraturer
Veronica Flyman Grönlund, PhD Candidate, Sociology and work science
Solange Coadou Chaventon, PhD Student, Marine Sciences
Marcel du Plessis, Researcher, Marine Science
Stina Larsson, Teacher, Sociology and Work Science
Bastien Queste, Associate Prof, Dept of Marine Science
Lovisa Thoursie, Coordinator, Marine science
Benedikt Brunner, PhD Student, Department of Marine Sciences
Doris Björling, Doctoral candidate , Marine Sciences
Linnea Henriksson, PhD, Marine Science
Kerstin Johannesson, Professor, Marine Sciences
Leon Green, Researcher, Biology and Environmental Sciences
Elena Tamarit Castro, PhD Student, Department of Earth Sciences
Malin Rosengren, Coordinator, Department of Marine Sciences
Anna-Lisa Wrange, Coordinator, Biological and Environmental sciences
Salar Karam, PhD student, Earth Sciences
Sebastiaan Swart, Professor, Dept Marine Sciences
Åsa Kasimir, docent, geovetenskaper
Nils Wallenberg, PostDoc, Earth Sciences
Jonathan Roques, Researcher, BioEnv
Elizabeth Robertson, Research Engineer, Marine Science
Eugenia Andersson, HR-administrator, Earth Sciences
Ulrika Ervander, PhD student , Earth science
Tobias Lammel, PhD/Principle Investigator, Biological and Environmental Sciences
Johan Uddling, Professor, BioEvn
Jesper Björklund, Researcher, Earth Sciences
Kristoffer Stedt, Researcher, Department of marine sciences
Matthias Konrad-Schmolke, Senior Lecturer, Earth Sciences
Francesca Molinari, Doctoral student, Biological and Environmental Sciences
Theo Spira, PhD, Marine Sciences
Ingela Dahllöf, Professor, Biological and environmental sciences
Jakob Heyman, Senior lecturer, Earth Sciences
Pia Jacobsen, administrator, Dep of Sociology and Work Science
Carolina Sewell Spångberg, Finance Officer, Department of Marine Sciences
Barbara Ruz Tallqvist, Studievägledare , Institutionen för geovetenskaper
Sara Stendahl, Professor, Department of Law
Jessika Lönn, Doctoral Student, Department of Earth Science
Joel White, Research Engineer, Marine Sciences
Anna Holgén, Postgraduate Studies Administrator , Marine Sciences
Lara Beckmann, Doctoral student, Marine Science
Gabriella Malmqvist, PhD Student, Department of Marine Sciences
Helena Wiklund, Principal Research Engineer, Marine Sciences
Iril Hove Ullestad, PhD student, Languages and literatures
Stellan Vinthagen, Professor, Sociologi och arbetsvetenskap
Imelda Taraj, PhD student, Handelshogskolan/BA/Accounting
Linus Hermansson, Doctoral student, Social work
Yvonne Carlsson, MD, Phd candidate, School of public health and community medicine
Erik Mägi, PhD Student, Law
Camille Parguel, doctoral student, School of Global Studies
Stijn van Weegberg, Doctoral Student, Economy & Society
Chloé Robert, PhD candidate, Marine Sciences
Alix Gabaude, PhD Candidate, School of Public Administration
Arianna Masciolini, Doctoral student, Department of Swedish, Multilingualism, Language Technology
Proshant Chakraborty, Doctoral candidate, School of Global Studies
Luca Versteegen, PhD Candidate, Department of Political Science
Staffan I Lindberg, Professor, Political Science
Aiysha Varraich, Doctoral Candidate, Political Science
Kim von der Heide, Doctoral Candidate, School of Global Studies
Elin Ackerberg, Education officer, Department of Political Science
Birgitta Niklasson, Senior Lekturer, Political Science
Maria Thorson, Research Coordinator, Department of Political Science
Saga Cambon, Program Coordinator, The Department of Political Science
A J, Research coordinator, School of Global Studies and Department of Political Science
Simone de Boer, PhD student, School of Global Studies
Felix Lehmann, Doctoral student, Political Science
Isac Sehlstedt, Ph.D, Department of Psychology
Linnea Koponen, PhD student, Department of Psychology
Sara Szepanski, Doctoral student, Department of Psychology
John Hanson Högberg , PhD, Psychology