Syria Agrees to Accept Convicted Man from Iceland
Syria has agreed to accept Mohamad Kourani, who was convicted of attempted manslaughter in Iceland. Kourani may only serve half his sentence if deported. The case highlights international cooperation in deportation matters.
Syrian authorities will accept Mohamad Kourani back to his home country. Kourani received an eight-year prison sentence in Iceland last year for attempted manslaughter. He has now waived his international protection status in Iceland.
The Icelandic Directorate of Immigration issued him a deportation decision. This decision includes a thirty-year re-entry ban to Iceland.
Under Icelandic law, prisoners facing deportation only serve half their sentence. Kourani would need to serve just four years of his eight-year term. This applies if his pardon request gets denied.
Why might he get pardoned? Kourani has applied for a pardon on health grounds. If the pardon committee approves his request, he could walk free immediately. This would require approval from Iceland's Minister of Justice and President.
One final step remains before deportation can proceed. Icelandic and Syrian authorities have held talks about Kourani's case. Syria agreed to accept him back, and this approval has been in place for some time.
The case shows how deportation processes often depend on foreign government cooperation. Iceland cannot send people abroad without receiving countries' consent.