Solaris Press Charges Against Deputy Director Of Public Prosecutions

The board of the humanitarian association Solaris (pictured: chairperson Sema Erla Serdaroglu) has pressed charges against Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Helgi Magnús Gunnarsson. Solaris assists asylum seekers and refugees in Iceland, and expressed their concerns regarding the deputy’s comments on foreigners.

In a social media post, Solaris announced that Helgi had made degradating comments based on national origin, skin colour, race or religion, and amount to defamation according to the Icelandic penal code. The association has also formally reported Helgi to the Director of Public Prosecution concerning the rights and duties of public officials.

Following the trial of Mohamed Kourani, who was convicted of attempted murder and gross physical assault, Helgi Magnús voiced some generalising comments about foreigners. In conversation with Vísir, he openly admitted that Mohamed’s case was an outlier, but still chose to opine that Iceland is “mass importing men who do not care for our social contract.”

Not his first rodeo

This is not Helgi’s first instance of hateful expression. In 2011, he was criticised after making inappropriate comments about Alda Hrönn Jóhannsdóttir, the appointed prosecutor of the police’s economic crime division, calling her a “bitch” (kerlingartussa).

In 2019, Helgi was criticised for his comments on immigration and abortion. Following a social media post about the case of a gay immigrant, University of Iceland professor and former presidential candidate Baldur Þórhallsson stated that years of Helgi’s controversial comments had undermined public trust in the Public Prosecutor.

I don’t know about you, but I’m thinking of inviting Helgi over for my next dinner party. Sounds like a riot.