A Christian couple has taken legal action against the Swedish authorities at the European Court of Human Rights after being separated from their daughters for three years.
Daniel and Bianca Samson, Romanian citizens who have lived in Sweden for a decade, lost custody of their daughters, now aged 10 and 11, in 2022.
Christian legal group ADF International said the girls were removed by Swedish social services after one of them falsely accused her parents of abuse when they refused to give her a smartphone or allow her to wear makeup. The allegation was later retracted.
The Samsons said the Swedish child protection system wrongfully removed their children, violated their parental rights, and discriminated against them because of their Christian faith.
A report alleging the family lived in an atmosphere of “religious extremism” was not upheld, but Swedish authorities continued to keep the girls in state care. The sisters have been placed in separate foster homes and are only allowed to see their parents once a month.
The Samsons said their daughters want to return home and have called for the family to be reunited. Daniel said in a statement: “We love our children. We trusted Sweden to protect them, and when the truth emerged, we expected our daughters to come home. Yet they remain away from us, and their mental health continues to deteriorate.”
Guillermo A. Morales Sancho, legal counsel for ADF International, said: “Despite a full investigation that cleared Mr and Mrs Samson of any abuse, Swedish authorities have prolonged this family’s suffering and have still not allowed the children to go home, including keeping the daughters separate from each other.
“It is tragic and unacceptable that a child who recanted her allegations and yearns to be home remains separated from her family, resulting in extended and severe mental distress.”
Sweden’s state lawyer said the “religious extremists” label referred to the family’s regular church attendance and the parents’ refusal to let their daughters wear makeup or certain clothes, as well as their limits on phone use.
ADF International has argued that these expressions of faith are protected under Articles 8 and 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which cover family life and religious freedom.
The Samsons have also asked for their daughters to be transferred to the foster system in Romania, a request that was denied. They have since returned to Romania with their other five children while they continue to seek reunification.
The Swedish government has previously stated: “All children in Sweden are protected and cared for equally under Swedish law. A decision to take a child away from its family is always based on a significant risk of harm to the child’s health or development.”
In February 2023, amid accusations that Muslim children were being removed without legal basis, a Minister for Social Services said: “I want to make it clear that Swedish legislation does not discriminate on the basis of sex or religion. I also want to make it clear that Swedish social services do not kidnap children.”
Christianity is the largest religion in Sweden, with between 50 and 60 per cent of Swedes formally members of the Lutheran Church of Sweden, although regular church attendance is around five per cent. Since the Church of Sweden was disestablished in 2000, the country has maintained a strict separation between Church and State.