When I fled Islamism in Yemen 10 years ago and found a home in Sweden, I was immensely grateful. Sweden granted me freedoms I could never have dreamed of. But one thing shocked me about Sweden.
Like many refugees, I believed that there was untouchable freedom of speech in Sweden and that citizens and the media could freely criticize all kinds of societal problems, like honor culture and Islamism.
But as soon as I learned the language, I discovered that freedom of speech in Sweden was limited.
Swedes who criticized Islamism were scrutinized and even called racists. Journalists and writers who criticized some of the most fundamental policies in the country were collectively hated and blacklisted.
Worst of all, many journalists harassed and persecuted dissenters, all to protect the prevailing power structure in politics, and they did this while continuously lying to the Swedish people. Lies that they would backtrack years later.
They lied about crucial issues such as Islamism, immigration, tribe violence, criminality, and honor culture. They relativized cultural differences and punished those who dared to speak up against the status quo.
Because of my undying gratitude towards Sweden, I see it as my duty to warn of radical Islamism that destroyed my homeland Yemen, and is now growing and gaining power in Sweden.
Established newspapers don’t usually give a platform to people like me because their agenda is to silence criticism against the narratives that they have painted of multiculturalism for decades. But there was an exception.
In late 2020, a Swedish newspaper called Bulletin was founded. They hired some of my favorite Swedish writers and instantly became my favorite newspaper in Sweden.
6 months later after its establishment, I was elated to become a part of the Bulletin family. While the newspaper faced misguided scrutiny from other newspapers, as it proved itself to be a fervent competitor, I have had the pleasure and freedom to write hundreds of articles in this incredible newspaper. If you speak Swedish, you can find my weekly columns in Bulletin.
Swedish media is bleeding and has been bleeding, but it is refreshing to see that many journalists are standing up for freedom of speech, against hatred and media lies. It is a pleasure to be a part of a newspaper with a backbone that flipped the Swedish media sphere upside down.
