How a convicted pedophile brought down Iceland’s government - Polidicks

[url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/09/16/how-a-convicted-pedophile-brought-down-icelands-government/]Source[/url] [QUOTE]In 2004, Hjalti Sigurjon Hauksson was imprisoned for raping his stepdaughter nearly every day for 12 years, starting when she was just 5. Thirteen years later, his crime has helped bring down Iceland's government. The story involves Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson and his father, Benedikt Sveinsson. Here's what happened: Several months ago, Sveinsson drafted a letter of recommendation for Hauksson, arguing that he should have his “honor restored.” In Iceland, convicts can have certain civil rights restored by submitting letters of recommendation extolling good character. Hauksson and another convicted pedophile, Robert Downey (formerly named Robert Arni Hreidarsson), received full pardons over the summer. Those decisions “rattled Icelandic society,” according to Iceland Magazine. As a reporter explains: “Public and media have spent much of summer discussing the two cases and the horrifying world of violence and abuse they revealed.” Soon after, one of Downey's victims launched a campaign urging the government to release the letters of support for Downey and Hauksson. But the Justice Ministry refused to respond to questions on the matter. This week, a parliamentary committee ruled that the administration was violating freedom-of-information laws by keeping the names a secret. So the letters were released to the news media. Even more damning: On Thursday, Iceland's justice minister, Sigridur Andersen, told television news reporters that she had informed the prime minister of his father's involvement in July. She said she told no one else. That disclosure, which smacked of a coverup, sent shock waves through Iceland's political class and threatened the fragile three-party coalition that put Benediktsson in power last year. To secure a majority, his Independence Party joined forces with the centrists and the Bright Future coalition, squeaking in with a razor-thin majority of 32 out of 63 seats. On Friday, Bright Future voted unanimously to leave the government. The letter “was the straw that broke the camel’s back,” a Bright Future insider told the news agency Reuters. “This is not in our spirit, and everybody agreed this was the end of it. It came as a complete surprise. It was something we couldn’t have continued with, this is something completely opposed to our principles. The corruption and dishonesty are just incredible.” [/QUOTE] Also, the PM has resigned [QUOTE]Iceland's president on Saturday accepted the resignation of the volcanic island's prime minister, who says a new election mostly likely will be held on Nov. 4. Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson lost his nine-month-old, centre-right coalition after one party quit over an attempt by the prime minister's father to help clear the name of a convicted pedophile. President Gudni Th. Johannesson met Saturday with Benediktsson and was meeting with other party leaders later in the day. [/QUOTE] [url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/world/iceland-s-pm-resigns-new-election-expected-on-nov-4-1.3592573]Source[/url] Didn't see this posted before but it's too weird of a story not to have a thread about.

I'm not sure I'm understanding this right, the ex PMs father was involved with the abuse of children?

[QUOTE=James xX;52710744]I'm not sure I'm understanding this right, the ex PMs father was involved with the abuse of children?[/QUOTE] No, he issued the letters of recommendation it seems like. To two convicted pedophiles. Then he, his son, and his party tried to cover it up that it was him.

But why? Why would they be pardoned?

I know there's corruption in my home country but never knew it would go this low

I read about this a few days ago. Scary shit.

[QUOTE=Lazore;52710784]But why? Why would they be pardoned?[/QUOTE] Those "pardon" letters are essentially a fast-track back to normal life for a convicted pedophile, no more "convicted kiddy diddler" list (or something like that). Those two who were pardoned knew people with influence and power who'd grant them those letters by essentially abusing their position.

Jesus christ that first sentence alone hit me like a fucking brick.

[QUOTE=Van-man;52710960]Those "pardon" letters are essentially a fast-track back to normal life for a convicted pedophile, no more "convicted kiddy diddler" list (or something like that). Those two who were pardoned knew people with influence and power who'd grant them those letters by essentially abusing their position.[/QUOTE] It more-so restores certain rights that you lose upon being convicted as a child molester. But it also serves as a form of vindication or excusing, which is bad.

So what was Sveinsson's motive for this? Did the kiddie-diddlers pay him somehow? Blackmail? Was he involved at all other than writing a petition? Everyone else's actions make sense. Convicts want to get their life back, obviously. Prime Minister approving something suggested by family, yeah, that's natural (not necessarily right). But what stake did Sveinsson have in anything? From the article it sounds like he just believes those rights should never be taken away as punishment, which a) doesn't seem like something scandal-worthy and b) doesn't explain why only these two criminals were pardoned. I know Iceland is low-crime but those can't be the only horrendous criminals in the country.