Aussie ex-crim wants out of Sweden's 'Hitler society'

An Australian man convicted of rape in Australia is pleading to be allowed to return to his home country following his deportation to Sweden in January last year.

• Aussie ex-crim dumped on Sweden (2 Jan 07)
• Australia could deport 'Swede' after 32 years (8 Nov 06)

Stefan Nystrom, 33, has said he is desperate to leave behind him what he describes as a "Hitler society" in the southern Swedish town of Skänninge.

Nystrom was born in Sweden in 1974 when his mother was in the country visiting family. Just 27 days later, Nystrom and his mother returned to Australia and never set foot in Sweden again.

In 2004, however, Australia's then immigration minister, Amanda Vanstone, paved the way for a deportation order by revoking Nystrom's visa, citing his poor character.

But Nystrom has kept a keen eye on developments in Australia under the new government headed by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. He is particularly interested in a decision to allow the return from Serbia of Robert Jovicic, a former criminal whose case is quite similar to his own.

Jovicic was granted a permanent resident visa by the Rudd government last week.

"This Serbian dude, he was allowed permanent residency in Australia,'' Nystrom told Australian website news.com.au.

"And I've lived all my life in Australia. I'm an Aussie through and through and now I am stuck in (this) Hitler society.''

Nystrom's various court appearances resulted in a total of 127 convictions, including one charge of aggravated rape.

The deportation order was highly controversial and was initially rejected by Australia's Federal Court on the grounds that it "presumes that Australia can export its problems elsewhere." The Supreme Court however later sanctioned the move.

Nystrom, formerly of Melbourne, said he was very anxious to leave Sweden and return home to his aging mother.

"My family are busting themselves (to get me back) ... God help Kevin Rudd and the government and Amanda Vanstone. God help her soul if my mum dies,'' he told news.com.au.

"I'm not threatening or anything. Let me back in the country.

"My mum's an old woman. She's dying and I'm over here in a cold, piece of shit country. It's killing me. I don't want to be here. I'm over it," he added.

Nystrom's mother, Britt, and sister, Annette, have appealed to the United Nations Human Rights Committee to help them bring the deportee back to Australia. Britt Nystrom said she hoped the Jovicic case would set a precedent that would enable her son's return.

"If he can stay, then Stefan should be able to stay," she told news.com.au.