{"id":4990,"date":"2012-12-11T21:11:56","date_gmt":"2012-12-11T21:11:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.christianvoice.org.uk\/?p=4990"},"modified":"2012-12-19T10:01:26","modified_gmt":"2012-12-19T10:01:26","slug":"johansson-family-deprived-of-justice-on-human-rights-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.christianvoice.org.uk\/index.php\/johansson-family-deprived-of-justice-on-human-rights-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Johansson Family Deprived of Justice on Human Rights Day"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Domenic as a young child, with his mother, Annie, who has been declared by the Gotland District Court to be a normal, loving and competent parent.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

An appeals court has handed down a verdict that Domenic Johansson will not be returned to his parents, following a separation of three and a half years.<\/p>\n

The ruling overturns the convincing victory in the Gotland District Court from June this year<\/a><\/strong>, which found that there were no grounds for terminating Christer and Annie Johansson\u2019s parental rights.<\/p>\n

Ironically, the decision was rendered yesterday, the day that is celebrated throughout the world as Human Rights Day 2012.<\/p>\n

\u201cA New Kind of Injustice”<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Johansson parents were vindicated in June when the Gotland District gave them full parental rights. The verdict was issued on the basis of unanimous and extensive testimony from those who had first-hand experience with Christer and Annie Johansson. In establishing that the Johansson parents are capable, loving and normal, the testimonies demonstrated that the Swedish social services do not have a case for continuing to divide the family. The court responded to this evidence by acknowledging that the parents had been properly caring for Domenic and that their parental rights would not be terminated.<\/p>\n

Following the ruling, Christer Johansson spoke with Christian Voice researcher, Robin Phillips, declaring that it was no longer a question of if but when. However, as the Johansson\u2019s and their extended family prepared to welcome Domenic back, Swedish social services appealed to the Svea Court of Appeal, asking them to overturn the district court’s ruling. Moreover, they kept Domenic during the period of the appeal.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Domenic has now been separated from his parents for three and a half years<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

During the time of the appeal social services brought forward evidence from an \u201cexpert\u201d child psychiatrist who stated that it would be detrimental to Domenic’s \u201cmental health and well-being\u201d to have him returned to the parents.<\/p>\n

Christer commented, \u201cWe have not felt pain like this ever. I am taking care of Annie as she’s still in shock. I thought we could start to celebrate something soon, but after this \u2018news\u2019 it’s impossible to even think about smiling. To get news like this on the International Human Right\u2019s Day is\u2026a new kind of injustice for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, this sad drama is now attracting international attention. The Facebook group \u2018Return Domenic Johansson to His Parents!\u2019 now has an astonishing 5,141 members while Christians throughout the world are preparing for a renewed letter writing campaign (details will be forthcoming.)<\/p>\n

The Next Step<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The next step is that the Johansson\u2019s lawyer plans to appeal to the highest court in Sweden. If that fails, they plan to appeal again to the European Court of Human Rights, which earlier refused the case based on the decision of a judge from Germany (another country ruled by a government that ruthlessly persecutes homeschoolers in violation of the most fundamental international human rights conventions). The family are being assisted by the Alliance Defence Fund, who have put together an application<\/strong><\/a> that makes the following points:<\/p>\n

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