Icelandic Court of Appeal acquits man in rape case, sparking public outcry

Iceland’s Court of Appeal (Landsréttur), the country’s appellate court for cases from district courts, acquitted a man in a rape case, with its ruling suggesting that forceful or rough sex could have explained the violence alleged by the woman. The judgment, dated 15 October 2026, led to immediate and widespread public criticism, as first reported by RÚV and Vísir.

Coverage by Vísir noted that the Court of Appeal’s decision referenced the parties’ communications on Instagram, suggesting that these exchanges could indicate the woman understood the nature of the encounter. Vísir’s report included a content warning concerning its discussion of severe sexual violence, bodily injury, and degrading language toward women. The outlet described the court’s reasoning as tantamount to issuing a blank cheque for various forms of violence.

The chairperson of the organisation Vitund publicly criticised the acquittal, stating that “Consent gives no unlimited licence to do whatever and does not erase…” (translated). Following the ruling, thousands of people have demanded an independent review of how Icelandic courts handle cases of sexual- and gender-based violence.

Reports suggest that manifestations of sexual violence are strikingly common among younger women in Iceland. In response to the acquittal, Sigrún Sif Eyfeld Jóelsdóttir, a project manager at the University of Iceland with an MSc in psychology, argued that Alþingi, Iceland’s parliament, should consider introducing a legal provision to criminalise negligent rape.

Background

The Court of Appeal, known in Icelandic as Landsréttur, is an appellate court in Iceland with authority over all district court cases. Established by the Courts Act of 2016, it began operating on 1 January 2018 and is composed of fifteen justices selected by the Qualifications Committee and nominated by the Minister of Justice for presidential confirmation.

Alþingi, Iceland’s parliament, is a unicameral national legislature established in 930. It is among the oldest parliaments in the world and meets in Reykjavík.

TopicsAlþingiCourt of AppealIcelandlegal reformsexual violenceVitund