”The offender goes free, I may go blind – there is no evidence”

There is a man about 25 years old who is suspected of having assaulted Abdelqader Tamim. The assault took place when Abdelqadar was on duty at the railway station in Kristianstad the night between 27th and 28th May. The police closed the case because ”there was no evidence that the man who was arrested at the scene was guilty”.

– I was cleaning the train, and went to get some bags from the storeroom when I bumped into the offender in the station. He asked me when the train was due to go, and I answered that I didn't know, so he started shouting and swearing.

– It isn't easy to speak Swedish, I've only been in Sweden for three years. I can understand, but I don't speak good Swedish.

Train employee seriously assaulted

Son Ahmad critical that the investigation has been closed down

When he asked me, I said I didn't understand what he was saying. Then he asked me if I spoke Danish, and I said no. He grew angry and shouted bad words, as far as I could understand, says Abdelqader Tamim.

He left the attacker and went towards the train, but he was followed. Since Abdelqader was afraid the man would vandalise the train, he went back to the storeroom instead. From there he phoned his son, told him what had happened and asked him to get in touch with the police.

A few minutes later he heard a car outside and thought it was the police who had arrived. Then somebody jumped on him.

– He was standing waiting for me, he hit me in the eyes with something. I couldn't see, and it was very painful, says Abdelqader Tamim.

The police arrived a few minutes later and started to investigate what had happened.

– My son took me to CSK, but it was no use. There was no eye specialist on duty.

A nurse gave him some Alvedon and told him to go home and rest. But the pain did not go away. Next day Abdelqader went back to CSK. This time he was remitted as an acute case to the university hospital in Lund for an operation on one of his eyes.

– The doctors said it was a serious injury. I was in hospital for three days, he says.

Now Abdelqader is very worried about his job.

– It's very difficult to find a job in Sweden for someone as old as I am, he says.

– I feel that I'm contributing something to Sweden, the country that welcomed us and gave us a secure place where we could live in peace. We left everything behind in Syria to try to find security for ourselves and our children. I can't imagine what my life would be like if I'm not able to see again. I feel badly let down. Can the police really close down a case just like that?

– There was no-one else there but the offender and I, and the police arrested him on the spot. It's absurd, It's absurd, all I want is justice, says Abdelqader Tamim.