Minister voices concerns over deportation of Palestinian boy with disabilities in Iceland

The Minister of Social Affairs and Labour, Guðmundur Ingi Guðbrandsson, confirmed that he did not instruct the Chief of Police but merely expressed his concerns. He communicated with the Chief of Police regarding the planned deportation of a Palestinian boy with disabilities, Yazans Tamimi, and his family, voicing his worries about the child’s welfare.

On September 16, the Minister contacted the Chief of Police early in the morning to seek information about the deportation process after alerting the Prime Minister and requesting a discussion in the government to halt Yazans’ deportation. He later sought confirmation that the boy had been collected from the hospital.

The Minister emphasized he did not direct the police on what action to take, stating he had no authority over the Chief of Police. Instead, he conveyed his opinion advocating for a postponement of the deportation.

Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson commented in Parliament that it was inappropriate for a minister to contact the subordinate of another minister directly, asserting that only the Minister of Justice should communicate with the Chief of Police on such matters. He reiterated that the earlier discussions within the government focused solely on requesting a delay in the deportation and not influencing the final decision.

Currently, there is no decision made by the Parliamentary Ombudsman regarding whether to initiate an inquiry into the Minister’s involvement with the Chief of Police concerning Yazans’ case, although the Ombudsman has the discretion to take up issues independently.