The District Court of Reykjavík has denied four MPs’ request to question witnesses as evidence in the case of the infamous Klaustur recording, RÚV reports. The Centre Party MPs requested permission to carry out questioning of individuals connected to the bar where the recording was made as evidence for a potential lawsuit against Bára Halldórsdóttir, who made the recording in secret and submitted it to media.
The MPs’ barroom conversation rife with sexist, ableist, and homophobic remarks toward colleagues has been the talk of local and international media since it was first reported on by Stundin. A recent poll showed a majority of Icelanders want the six MPs who were present to resign.
The MPs now have several options moving forward. They could appeal the District Court’s ruling to the Land’s Court, or file a private lawsuit against Bára. They also have the option of pressing charges for the publication of the recording via police. The group has already filed a formal complaint to the Data Protection Authority in the case, asserting that the recording constituted a violation of privacy.
