Demoted for defending Israel

A government worker in Sweden was demoted from his position as head of a migration board for running a blog in which he voiced support for Israel.

A Swedish Migration Board employee with 20 years' experience is charging that he was demoted due to his pro-Israel political views.

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In his spare time he also operates a personal blog in which he expresses his support of democratic freedoms and espouses support for the cause of Israel in particular.

“I want to defend freedom and democracy. I try to be humble and just. Therefore I must—as every good democrat must—defend Israel,” reads a passage describing the content of Eriksson’s blog, Sapere aude!.

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He claims that when his new supervisor, Eugene Palmer, learned of his blog, he decided to do what he could to force Eriksson out of the agency.

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Palmer, who assumed responsibilities as head of of the Migration Board's Division for Asylum Examination last summer, recalls being notified of the blog’s controversial contents by other employees at the Migration Board just prior to Eriksson’s return in August.

He says he was not alone in his questioning whether it was appropriate for someone with Eriksson’s position at the Board to publicly express opinions about such a sensitive topic.