Sterkaj among 20 foreign prisoners released under interim law

Angjelin Sterkaj is one of 20 foreign prisoners to receive parole and be expelled from Iceland under temporary legislation, mbl.is reports. Sterkaj was released after serving about four years and 10 months of a 16-year sentence for the killing of Armando Beqirai in Rauðagerði.

Many people reacted with surprise after it emerged that Sterkaj had been granted parole. The killing has been described by some as an execution, and Sterkaj has been referred to as an executioner.

Ragna Bjarnadóttir, director of the Icelandic Prison and Probation Administration, said the law did not distinguish between the nature of prisoners’ offences when deciding who could receive parole after serving one-third of a sentence.

“No one is exempt from the law,” she said.

The new procedure followed temporary legislation introduced by the minister of justice. The law, which is in force for one year, allows authorities to expel foreign prisoners and impose a re-entry ban after they have served one-third of their sentences.

Under the previous rules, prisoners generally served half of their sentences in a closed prison before moving to Vernd, an open facility intended to help people adjust to society, and later serving part of their sentence with an electronic ankle monitor.

“Now people never go to Vernd and never receive an ankle monitor. Instead, they serve almost five years in prison but can receive parole by being expelled and given a re-entry ban,” Ragna said.

The legislation applies only to foreign prisoners. The 20 people released so far include prisoners from countries both inside and outside the Schengen area. Most are so-called couriers, Ragna said, and none apart from Sterkaj had been convicted of a violent offence.

Most of the 20 are from Europe, while others are from South America.

Ragna said she understood public concern that the system could allow further violent offences, including offences resulting in death. However, she stressed that the legislation was temporary and that Iceland’s prison system was overcrowded.

She also said re-entry bans had a strong deterrent effect. The time served in a closed prison remained the same, while prisoners no longer moved to an open facility where they would have greater freedom during most of the day. The Directorate of Immigration can also decide to impose a permanent ban on entry to the Schengen area.