MUCF says it will call in the relevant faith communities after SVT reported that some mosque-linked representatives offered or referred married men for religious-marriage assistance involving another wife. The authority will seek explanations about whether the communities reject the reported statements and how they will prevent a repeat.
SVT’s Uppdrag granskning said its reporters contacted 15 mosques. According to the broadcaster, nine imams or advisers reached through referrals said they would conduct a ceremony themselves or direct the reporters to another imam or mosque. The requests concerned married men seeking another wife; polygamy is prohibited in Sweden.
The development moves the issue from reported conduct by individuals to enforcement of the conditions attached to public funding. SVT reports that organisations receiving MUCF grants must meet democracy conditions, including requirements related to fundamental rights, equal human worth and non-discrimination. MUCF director-general Magnus Jägerskog told SVT that the representatives featured in the report had breached those conditions.
That makes the review a necessary test of whether grant rules can be enforced in practice. Public funding carries a legitimate expectation that organisations address conduct attributed to their representatives and uphold Swedish law and fundamental rights. The review is not, however, a decision to withdraw funding. SVT has reported no suspension, withdrawal or recovery of grants.
Several mosques named by SVT said they oppose polygamy, had removed or suspended people, or disputed that a person quoted by the programme represented the institution. Those responses are central to the review, but they do not remove MUCF’s responsibility to examine the safeguards behind them. SVT’s report concerns named individuals and institutions; it offers no basis for treating Swedish Muslims or mosques generally as responsible for the alleged conduct.
Sources
- SVT Nyheter · Source date: 2026-11-11
Independent editorial content. WUA is not affiliated with any political party. 2026-11-11
SVT mosque investigation: Three removed, but the findings require a narrow reading