Sweden Provides Photo Of A$AP Rocky's Cell; Pushes Back Against Racism Claim

by HHL JT

At the beginning of A$AP Rocky's Swedish ordeal, his people claimed he was being held in inhuman condition.

Sweden is pushing back on that by providing Billboard with a photo of the college dorm-like cell he's currently residing.

Anette Skeppar-Forström, deputy governor of the Kronoberg detention center, explained each cell in the facility has a bed, mattresses, desk and private TV.  Inmates have access to books and radio, and can spend up to five hours a day socializing with other prisoners.

“If someone spills their food, has any type of accident or hurts themselves [in a way] which might cause blood, we immediately sanitize, using a professional cleaning company,” Skeppar-Forström said.

Jerzy Sarnecki, a criminology professor at Stockholm University, disputed the assertion that Rocky is being mistreated because of race, pointing out that the man he fought with -- who is not being held -- is an Afghan, not a Swede.

“Of course we have problems with racism in Sweden as in most other countries,” he said. “But that Swedish prosecutors or courts should act racist in such a case is very unlikely.

There is no reason for people in this country to treat people from the U.S. -- even if they are black -- worse than someone from Afghanistan,” he added.

Sarnecki did add that Sweden has been criticized for the amount of time they are allowed to hold suspected criminals without charging them. They also have no bail system. Rocky has been held for three weeks without charge.