Life imprisonment in Iceland is legal and the most severe punishment available under the Icelandic penal code since the death penalty was formally abolished in 1928. According to the General Penal Code from 1944 imprisonment may be imposed for life or for a certain period, not shorter than 30 days and not longer than 16 years. However, in special cases it is permissible to increase the punishment from 16 years to 20 years.[1]
General Penal Code, 19/1940
Listed below are possible cases which life imprisonment may be imposed.[1]
| Act in the General Penal Code | Crime | Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Article 86 & 87 | Treason | Not shorter than 2 years, or life imprisonment |
| Article 98 | Rebelling or inciting a rebellion | No less than 3 years, or life imprisonment |
| Article 100 | Attacking Althing in such a way to pose a threat to its independence, or issuing an order to do so, or obeying such an order | No less than 1 year, up to life imprisonment |
| Article 100 a | Terrorism | Up to life imprisonment |
| Article 193 | Depriving a parent, or rightful parties of the control of or custody over a child who is a minor, or encouraging a child to evade such control or custody | Fines, imprisonment for up to 16 years, or life imprisonment |
| Article 211 | Murder | Not less than 5 years, or life imprisonment |
| Article 226 | Kidnapping, deprivation of liberty | Up to life imprisonment |
| Article 255 | Repeated enrichment offences (robberies) | Up to life imprisonment |
Cases which men have been sentenced to life imprisonment(which is 16-20 years)
- In 1977 the Reykjavík Criminal Court sentenced two men to life imprisonment for the murder of two men in the Guðmundur and Geirfinnur case. The sentence was later overturned by the Supreme Court of Iceland
- In 1993 Þórður Jóhann Eyþórsson was convicted of his second murder in the District Court of Reykjavík and sentenced to life imprisonment. He committed the second murder while on parole for his first murder, committed in 1983. The conviction was overturned by the Supreme Court of Iceland and sentenced to be imprisoned for 20 years.
References
- 1 2 "The General Penal Code" (PDF). Government of Iceland. 1 September 2014.
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