Icelandic appeals body overturns deportation of Albanian man

An immigration appeals body has overturned a decision to deport an Albanian man and bar him from re-entering Iceland for 12 years, mbl.is reported. Centre Party MP Snorri Másson criticised the ruling, saying the man had been convicted of homicide in Albania and is a suspect in a case involving an alleged sexual offence against a child in Iceland.

Másson asked in a Facebook post: “What does one actually have to do here to be deported?” The appeals committee found that it had not been sufficiently demonstrated that deportation was necessary for state security or the public interest.

The man was convicted in Albania of shooting a person dead with others. His 18-year prison sentence was later reduced to 12 years. After serving his sentence, he came to Iceland, worked and stayed without a permit, and did not obey police instructions, Másson wrote.

According to the MP, the man was given an entry ban but returned to Iceland, where he was arrested and deported. He later came back again and was stopped while driving without a licence. He is now a suspect in a case being handled by the district prosecutor over an alleged sexual offence against a child under 15.

The Directorate of Immigration had decided to deport the man and impose a 12-year entry ban. Másson called it “unbelievable” that the appeals body had overturned the decision.

He also linked the ruling to a recent deportation bill promoted by the justice minister. Másson said the temporary legislation would allow foreign prisoners to leave prison earlier, and argued that it would not address cases such as the one he described. He said Iceland needed changes that protected the interests of Icelandic society.