Seven people protested silently outside the Althingi parliament yesterday against Iceland’s policy on asylum seekers, displaying their demands on signs reading “Save our lives” and “Stop deportation of refugees to Greece.”
Iceland’s parliament. Photo by Páll Stefánsson.
Among the protestors was 19-year-old Iraqi citizen Noordin Alazawi, who said he fears for his life in case of deportation. Alazawi claims to have many enemies since he worked for US forces in Iraq and that they can easily get hold of him in Greece, Fréttabladid reports.
According to Morgunbladid, shortly after the protest began, Minister of Justice Ragna Árnadóttir released a statement to the media, explaining that she had appointed a committee to review laws and regulations on asylum seekers in Iceland.
University of Iceland law professor Björg Thorarensen will chair the committee, which is supposed to hand in proposals by June 15.
Last month the Directorate of Immigration decided to deport five asylum seekers to Greece on grounds of the Schengen Agreement, Fréttabladid recited.
Four of the asylum seekers appealed the decision, prompting Árnadóttir to postpone their deportation. Their lawyer has until April 28 to submit their claims.
The fifth asylum seeker did not appeal the decision and was sent back to his home country, Albania, yesterday, according to his own wishes. In an interview with Fréttabladid, he said that he was afraid to have his case processed in Greece.
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