Three ministers contact National Police Commissioner over Yazan Tamimi’s deportation case in Iceland

Three current and former ministers contacted the National Police Commissioner regarding the case of Yazan Tamimi, a young disabled boy facing deportation. The incident has triggered significant tension within the government coalition.

On the morning that Yazan was to be deported, three ministers from the Independence Party, including two serving members, and a former Minister of Justice reached out to the Police Commissioner, Sigríður Björk Guðjónsdóttir. This information has surfaced in local reports.

Early on September 16, the situation at the National Police Commissioner’s office was hectic. The Immigration and Escort Department had picked up Yazan and his family from a hospital and had transferred them to Keflavik Airport, where they awaited deportation.

As the case gained attention, Gudmundur Ingi Guðbrandsson, a minister from the Green Party, also communicated his concerns about Yazan’s removal. Reports indicate that discussions took place among the ministers regarding a potential delay in the deportation scheduled for September 16, where it was agreed that only the Minister of Justice could make such a decision.

This issue has proven challenging for the government and has been cited as a contributing factor to the coalition’s recent collapse. Justice Minister Gudrún Hafsteins has expressed her opposition to halting Yazan’s deportation, further complicating the matter.

The deportation case has underscored the friction within the coalition government and highlights the sensitive nature of immigration policies in Iceland.