Snædal urges review of sexual-offence cases at appeals court
Tuesday 20th October 2026 on 19:15 in
Iceland
Drífa Snædal, a spokesperson for Stígamót, says the number of sexual-offence convictions overturned by Iceland’s Court of Appeal, Landsréttur, warrants closer scrutiny, she told mbl.is.
She said that when courts show little understanding of victims and repeatedly overturn convictions in their cases, it is understandable that people ask whether justice can be found outside the court system.
Last week, Landsréttur acquitted a man of rape after Reykjavík District Court had sentenced him to five years in prison and ordered him to pay 2.5 million krónur in compensation for non-financial loss. Two of the three appeal judges found it had not been sufficiently proved that he intentionally had sex with the woman without her consent, rather than the encounter being rough sex.
The indictment said the man repeatedly struck the woman in the face, put her in a chokehold and placed a pillow over her face, making it difficult for her to breathe. It also said he pressed his knee against her upper chest. The alleged injuries included fractured ribs, hearing loss and injuries to her head, neck and back.
The acquittal has prompted strong reactions. A petition on the government website island.is calls on Parliament and the justice minister to arrange an independent review of how cases of sexual and gender-based violence are handled, from investigation through court proceedings. More than 4,000 people had signed it by Tuesday.
During the trial, the defendant argued that he and the woman had agreed to have BDSM sex. He acknowledged using some violence during their sexual activity but said it was with her full consent. BDSM organisations have condemned the acquittal, saying it is unacceptable to use BDSM to justify serious violence and physical injury.
Snædal said Stígamót had seen men use BDSM as an excuse to avoid responsibility, and that courts had accepted that explanation in some cases. She said there were other examples and that BDSM was one of the most common excuses when medical reports documenting injuries were available.