The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (Ríkissaksóknari) in Iceland is considering whether to appeal a verdict by Landsréttur, the country’s Court of Appeal, which acquitted a man previously found guilty of rape. This development was first reported by RÚV.
Landsréttur acquitted the man after two out of three judges ruled that it was unproven he had raped the woman involved. The judges concluded that the woman had consented to rough sex, according to RÚV.
Previously, Héraðsdómur Reykjavíkur, a district court in Reykjavík, had sentenced the man to five years in prison for rape, Vísir reported.
The woman in the case is reported to have suffered serious injuries, including fractured ribs and hearing loss, according to Vísir.
The verdict has drawn strong criticism from several advocacy and support organizations. BDSM Iceland’s board issued a statement strongly condemning the majority verdict, saying it is reprehensible that BDSM would be used to justify serious violence and bodily harm, according to mbl.is and Vísir.
Stígamót, a center supporting survivors of sexual violence, and others criticized the acquittal publicly on social media and in commentary, Vísir reported.
Following the Landsréttur verdict, thousands of people have called for an investigation into the outcome, Vísir said.
It is not yet known whether Ríkissaksóknari will formally appeal the verdict, nor what specific legal arguments might be presented if an appeal goes forward.
Sources
- RÚV (first reported) in Icelandic
- mbl.is in Icelandic
- Vísir in Icelandic
- Vísir in Icelandic
