State rejects compensation claim from Belarusians detained at Keflavík Airport

Iceland's state attorney has denied a compensation claim filed by four Belarusian men who were detained at Keflavík Airport for over three days last summer. The men sought approximately 2.58 million Icelandic krónur each in damages, plus interest and legal costs.

In their lawsuit, the men described substandard conditions during their detention, which they argued violated the European Convention on Human Rights. They reported sleeping on wooden benches in the airport terminal and being denied access to hygiene facilities. According to their claim, they were only provided with a hamburger twice during their confinement and were not allowed to purchase food or clothing.

The Belarusians, who were in Iceland for work at the Grundarfjörður Shipyard, stated they received no explanation for the decision to deny them entry. Their lawsuit further alleges they were not informed of their rights, including their right to legal counsel or the possibility of challenging their detention before a judge.

The police in Suðurnes, representing the Icelandic state, have rejected the compensation demand. The police stated they see no reason to provide further details on the case of individual parties. The men described their experience as a deprivation of liberty under indefensible conditions at Keflavík Airport, forcing them to sleep on the cold floor.

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The claimants' compensation claim has been rejected by the State Attorney, who is handling the case on behalf of the Icelandic state. The Suðurnes police do not see a reason to provide further information about the cases of individual parties or to elaborate on the case further.