Jomshof steps down as chairman of Swedish Parliament’s Justice Committee amid incitement allegations

Richard Jomshof has temporarily stepped down from his position as chairman of the Swedish Parliament’s Justice Committee as he faces allegations of inciting hatred against a particular ethnic group, with formal charges expected to be presented on Tuesday. The complaint against Jomshof arose after he shared two cartoons on the social media platform X on May 28. Both cartoons convey similar messages: one depicts a scenario in which Muslims are invited into a house in Europe, only for them to set it ablaze; the other shows a Pakistani migrant being rescued from the sea by an Englishman, who is subsequently thrown overboard by the migrant, who holds an oar labeled “Rape Jihad.”

Jomshof argues that these types of satirical cartoons fall within the bounds of free expression and has received support from Mattias Karlsson, who expressed his backing for Jomshof in a post on X. It is true that Jomshof shared the images from the account of a notable British atheist with Middle Eastern roots, but this individual is not the original creator. The cartoons were first published by an Indian cartoonist, whose signature appears on them. This artist has a history of producing content that disparages the Indian opposition, Islam, and Pakistan on platforms such as Facebook, X, and Instagram.

Many of his works carry a watermark from “Kreately,” a site that identifies itself as Hindu nationalist. The cartoons often depict Muslims in negative roles, like murderers and terrorists. Kreately promotes the pro-Hindutva ideology, which advocates for Hinduism’s supremacy over other religions.