SVT is acquitted after calling Ukrainian women prostitutes

Published 12 June 2024 at 14.48

Media. Sveriges Television is now acquitted for a comedy segment in which SVT's Arab employee singled out Ukrainian women as prostitutes.

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It was in SVT's comedy program “Immigrants for Swedes” on March 10, 2024 as the TV giant's own journalist Elaf Ali said the following about women who fled Ukraine:

– Many who came from Ukraine had to stay. … They are fair-haired, so they blend in. It is perhaps most noticeable… perhaps… in the brothels.

The feature was criticized by, among others, Ukraine.

“I consider such statements to be deeply offensive and completely unacceptable”, it was said in a statement from the Ukrainian ambassador Andriy Plachotnyuk.

Over a hundred people contacted the Media Authority and criticized the feature for, among other things, being offensive to Ukrainian women. The review board, however, notes that the IFS program idea is to “make fun of stereotypes and prejudices about different ethnic groups and cultures through quizzes”. In light of the format of the program and with regard to “the extensive freedom of speech”, the board believes that the joke in question did not cross the line of what can be accepted. The feature therefore did not contravene the provision on television's special impact, according to the committee.

According to SVT's broadcasting licence, the broadcasts must be marked by “the equal value of all people”. The provision means that SVT must “distance itself from” or “respond” to derogatory statements about ethnic groups. In practice, however, this only applies to statements about Arabs, Africans and the like.