Three members of Independence Party contact Chief of Police over expulsion of seriously ill boy from Iceland

Three members of the Independence Party contacted the Chief of Police regarding the planned expulsion of a seriously ill boy from the country. Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson stated that the Chief of Police should not be subjected to pressure in their work.

Alongside the current Minister of Justice, two former Ministers of Justice were involved in these communications, including Áslaug Arna Sigurbjörnsdóttir, the current Minister of Universities, Industry, and Innovation, and Jón Gunnarsson, a current member of parliament. Guðmundur Ingi Guðbrandsson, the Minister of Social Affairs and Labor, also made a call. This outreach was in connection with the case of Yazan Tamimi, a boy in poor health facing removal from Iceland.

Bjarni Benediktsson criticized the calls made to the Chief of Police outside regular working hours. “Let’s be clear, I’ve stated this before. What comes up in such conversations is important, and everyone should understand that it is the Minister of Justice who oversees the matters that the Chief of Police is handling,” he said.

Áslaug Arna defended herself on Facebook, claiming she was only seeking information and did not have a stance or interference in the matter.

Jón Gunnarsson asserted that he saw nothing wrong in his conversation with the Chief of Police. “I often communicate with them on various matters. I was simply checking how this case was progressing,” he explained, emphasizing that he had no inappropriate involvement in the situation.