'Showing Her Pen*s': Transgender Egyptian Convicted of Killing Two Children Accused of Harassing Women in Swedish Prison

Female inmates at Sweden's Ystad women's prison have accused Lily Abdelshahed of sexual misconduct and indecent exposure. The allegations include claims that she exposed her genitals and made other prisoners feel unsafe.

Abdelshahed, an Egyptian national formerly known as Paulus Abdelshahed, is serving a life sentence for murdering her two children in Södertälje in April 2024. She was transferred from the high-security Tidaholm prison to a women's facility after changing her legal gender and name.

On 11 October several inmates and staff had raised concerns about her conduct. A police investigation into a complaint of sexual molestation was closed because of insufficient evidence. The allegations have not been established in court.

Inmates Report Alleged Sexual Misconduct

One inmate told said that Abdelshahed walked around in a short nightgown, 'showing her penis.' Other accounts described alleged unwanted touching and attempts to enter shared shower or laundry areas while women were present.

The reports describe concerns about privacy and safety inside the prison. They remain allegations, and the closure of the police investigation does not prove that every reported incident occurred or that the claims were false.

Ystad prison governor Anders Jansson told Expressen that the institution was generally functioning well, while acknowledging that staff lacked clear guidelines for certain situations. He declined to comment on individual incidents, according to the report.

The allegations have raised questions about how staff respond when prisoners report feeling unsafe and what procedures are in place to protect inmates' privacy. No court finding of criminal wrongdoing in these reported incidents has been identified.

Why Abdelshahed Was Transferred

Abdelshahed was sentenced to life imprisonment in December 2024 and ordered deported from Sweden. The Södertälje District Court said she had intentionally killed her two children by suffocating them with helium and found the killings had been carefully planned. She admitted the killings, according to the court.

TV4 reported in December 2025 that the Swedish Prison and Probation Service decided to transfer Abdelshahed after her legal gender changed. Documents cited by the broadcaster said Tidaholm was not adapted for women. The authority also said it had assessed a risk to her safety and health at the male facility before deciding on another placement.

The transfer decision and the later complaints at Ystad are separate matters. Neither the placement decision nor the allegations establish whether the reported conduct occurred.

Debate Over Prison Safeguards

The case has renewed debate in Sweden about prison placements, inmate safety and the treatment of transgender prisoners. Women's organisations and some politicians criticised the transfer, while LGBTQ rights organisation RFSL warned that the case could lead to transgender people being unfairly stigmatised.

The dispute also raises questions about how prison authorities assess individual circumstances, investigate complaints and provide staff with clear instructions when placement decisions create practical challenges.

The allegations remain unproven, and the police investigation into suspected sexual molestation has been closed. The accounts reported by Expressen have prompted scrutiny of prison procedures, but conclusions about Abdelshahed's alleged conduct must rest on evidence specific to the incidents.