The daughters have been separated from their parents, and each other, since December 2022, absent any evidence of abuse, and despite deteriorating health conditions in foster care and repeated wish to be reunited.
European Court of Human Rights deems case inadmissible on the grounds of failure to exhaust legal remedies in Sweden.
STRASBOURG (10 March 2026) – The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has ruled a case brought by Christian parents Daniel and Bianca Samson against Sweden as inadmissible. The parents were seeking justice before the court to regain custody of their daughters, claiming a severe violation of their parental rights. The decision of inadmissibility is final and cannot be appealed. ADF International lawyers are now reviewing the decision together with the parents and assessing possible next steps.
The two eldest daughters of the Samson family were taken by the state in December 2022 after the eldest made a false report at school over her parents’ refusal to give her a phone and allow makeup, prompting allegations of “religious extremism,” even though she promptly retracted. The daughters have been separated from their parents, and each other, since December 2022, even though the state found no evidence of abuse.
“Parents have the primary responsibility and right to raise their children. When the state interferes with family life based on values-based parenting choices or discrimination on the basis of faith, fundamental freedoms are at stake."
“We deeply regret the Court’s decision to reject this case, considering that this family has been torn apart for over three years despite a full investigation that cleared Mr. and Mrs. Samson of any abuse and the fact that the Social Services certified their capacity and fitness for parenting after they successfully completed an official training. Families should be free to live according to their convictions without fear of losing their children to the state,” said Guillermo A. Morales Sancho, Legal Counsel for ADF International.
The European Court of Human Rights deemed the case inadmissible on the grounds of failure to exhaust legal remedies in Sweden, despite the legal team’s assessment that there were no further options for domestic recourse.
Specifically, the Court indicated that it did not consider there to be an apparent violation of the right to respect for private life under the European Convention on Human Rights. It further suggested that questions relating to freedom of religion may be raised before national courts, an option the Samsons may now pursue.
Background
The couple of Romanian origin, who had been residing in Sweden for close to a decade, claim that Swedish authorities ignored the best interests of their children by refusing to reunite the family. The forced separation continued even after all allegations against the parents were dropped and prosecutors found no evidence of abuse. The case raises serious concerns about delays, overreach, and possible discrimination against Christians in Sweden’s child welfare system. The state has cited the family’s regular attendance at church three times a week to corroborate accusations of “religious extremism,” despite the fact that this simply reflects their religious beliefs and is a protected action under international human rights law.
The Samsons currently are only allowed one supervised visit per month. This is complicated by the fact that the girls are placed in different foster care homes far away from each other.
See our case page for more information: https://adfinternational.org/cases/samson-family
