Today, Monday, the trial ended against the two brothers in their 40s and 30s, respectively, who have been accused of spying against Sweden on behalf of Russia for ten years. 

Security has been rigorous during the negotiations, which during the autumn have been held for the most part behind closed doors in the Stockholm district court.

Calls for long prison sentences

The older brother, who has a background in Säpo and the Armed Forces, was working as a high-ranking head of an authority when he was arrested in connection with a crackdown last year.

According to the indictment, during his time at, among other things, the Security Police and Must, the Military Intelligence and Security Service, he must have gone to the Russian intelligence service, GRU, by providing them with classified information.

In his closing statement, the prosecutor requested that he be sentenced to life imprisonment for aggravated espionage and aggravated unauthorized position with secret information.

Denies crime

The younger brother, who is in his 30s, is also suspected of having "proceeded to Russia and the Russian intelligence service GRU, by unauthorizedly acquiring, forwarding and disclosing information whose disclosure to a foreign power could result in harm to Sweden's security".

Prosecutors are now demanding that he be sentenced to 12 years in prison for aggravated espionage.

But the prosecutor also outlined alternative claims if the court does not consider it proven that the information the brothers acquired was shared with Russian intelligence.

In that case, the prosecutor wants the older brother to be sentenced to 16 years in prison and the younger to 8 years in prison.

Verdict in January

As a third alternative, the prosecutor requested that the older brother be sentenced to 4 years in prison if it is only proven that he engaged in a gross illegal position with a secret mission.

If there was no intention to help a foreign power.

The two brothers, who are registered in Uppsala, deny any crime according to their defenders.

- My opinion is that the evidence is insufficient and that my client should be acquitted, says Anton Strand, the older brother's defense lawyer.

The brothers will remain in custody pending sentencing on January 19 next year.

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Hear the Security Police's communications manager about the indictment against the spy brothers.

Photo: Thomas Oneborg/SvD/TT & the Security Police