Police actions criticized after Yazan Tamimi taken from Landspítalinn to Keflavik Airport in Iceland

Police actions have raised serious concerns after Yazan Tamimi, a patient at Landspítalinn, was forcibly taken from the hospital to Keflavik Airport. Yazan’s lawyer, Albert Björn Lúðvígsson, criticized the police for using excessive force during the operation, which left damage to the family’s home and lacked proper communication.

According to Albert, the police arrived at the family’s residence and monitored conversations without providing any information about the situation or legal proceedings. He described the family’s experience at Keflavik Airport, indicating that Yazan was isolated in a locked room for about seven hours. Unexpectedly, the family received a message in the morning allowing them to return home.

The intervention to halt Yazan’s deportation came after Guðmundur Ingi Guðbrandsson, the Minister of Social Affairs and Employment, contacted the Minister of Justice to request a suspension of the deportation. Despite this, the decision regarding Yazan’s deportation remains unchanged, although the execution of the order has been postponed.

In a statement, Landspítalinn acknowledged the complexity of the situation and emphasized the need for clarity on the authorities’ powers to act within healthcare institutions. The hospital reiterated its commitment to providing care to all patients, regardless of citizenship, and highlighted the challenges posed by police actions that disrupt patient services.

This incident underscores the importance of transparency about the powers of law enforcement in emergency interventions, particularly in sensitive healthcare contexts.