According to Iceland’s Minister of Justice Björn Bjarnason, his ministry is currently investigating whether foreign citizens who have been convicted for a crime in Iceland can be sent back to their home countries to complete their sentences.
In 2007, 35 foreign citizens were in prison or completed their sentences in Iceland. Twenty of the 35 did not have a residency in Iceland and had been convicted for assaults, sexual violations, drug violations and embezzlement, Fréttabladid reports.
Currently, several foreign citizens have been charged or are being investigated for similar violations.
Director of Immigration Hildur Dungal said most EEA citizens who have been convicted of crimes in Iceland are extradited. “When the convict has completed half the sentence, the State Prison Administration contacts the Directorate of Immigration to see whether the individual in question should be extradited if he or she requests probation.”
“Now we are investigating whether this process can begin sooner so that foreign citizens can serve their sentences in their respective home countries,” Dungal explained. “We want to see whether it is possible, which is very positive.”
