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Saturday, February 11, 2017

Television reporter who documented Syrian boy’s journey to freedom convicted of human smuggling

Source: news.nationalpost.com - Friday, February 10, 2017 STOCKHOLM — Three employees with Swedish broadcaster SVT have been sentenced to community work after being convicted of human smuggling for bringing a 15-year Syrian boy to Sweden during the 2015 migrant influx that swept across Europe. The Malmo’s District Court said Thursday it was “obvious the SVT team helped for purely humanitarian reasons.” EMIL LANGVAD/AFP/Getty Images Swedish Television reporter Fredrik Onnevall (C) takes his seat in the District Court in Malmo, Sweden, January 26, 2017, during the first day of trial. Reporter Fredrik Onnevall, his cameraman and interpreter were making a documentary on the migrants when they met an unaccompanied minor in Greece who wanted to go to Sweden. They wanted to document his trip by car, ferry and train. According to CNN , the teen pleaded with Onnevall to leave Greece because he was desperate to be reunited with family he had in Sweden. He has since gained permanent residence in Sweden.  EMIL LANGVAD/AFP/Getty Images This file photo taken on January 24, 2017 shows Swedish Television (SVT) reporter Fredrik Onnevall posing outside the SVT Malmo offices in Malmo, Sweden. Before the court, Onnevall admitted paying for a car rental and knowing the boy had false papers. In Sweden, the then-15-year-old boy was granted permanent asylum. It was not immediately clear whether the ruling would be appealed. With National Post staff files All Related


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