The following statement was sent to the local newspaper Fréttablaðið by Sindri Þór Stefánsson, who fled the country on Tuesday after breaking out of the minimum security prison Sogn in South Iceland. Sindri is a prime suspect and key witness in the Bitcoin Heist, a series of break-ins into data centers engaged in cryptocurrency mining.
Read more: Bitcoin heist suspect issues a public statement after escaping prison, fleeing country
Police has dismissed the bizarre letter as full of falsehoods, fabrication and incorrect statements.
Read more: Prison break: Suspect escaped the country, took same plane as Prime Minister to Sweden
The original letter is in Icelandic. The translation was done by us at Iceland Insider:
There are two sides to all stories. This is particularly true in this case. I know it wasn't right to flee the country like I did, but I can't take that decision back, even if I wanted to. Why did I do what I did?
I would never flee from prison if I had been legally deprived of my freedom by the order of a court. That's a fact. On April 16 at 15:00 I appeared in front of a judge after the prosecution requested that I remain in custody for 10 more days. The judge made the decision to think the matter over until April 17 at 9:30. The judge did not extend the custody temporarily while he was looking into the case. The previous custody ruling was in effect until 16:00 on April 16, an hour after I appeared in front of the judge. At that time I was a free man again.
It was not until later in the day that I realized that I was a free man when the prison staff at Sogn called me in for a meeting to inform me that I was a free man because the custody had not been extended, but that Police would nevertheless arrest me if I left the prison without giving an explanation of my movements. I was forced to sign a letter where I admitted that I was a free man but that I would spend the night in a prison cell while I waited for the judge to rule on the extension of my custody.
The Directorate of Prisons has this letter and will deliver it to my attorney..
I simply refuse to stay in prison on my own free will, especially when I'm being threatened with arrest by the police.
I'm not trying to argue that I made the correct decision when I left, and I regret this decision because my family has come under significant scrutiny, being subjected to badgering by members of the public and the media. I did not expect that an international arrest warrant would be issued for me because I was a free man and I thought it was impossible I would be branded an escaped prisoner. I would never have done what I did if I hadn't thought I was a free man.
I have been kept in custody for two and a half months for no reason, without any evidence, but only based on Police has me under suspicion. That's what makes me most angry. I have not been presented with a single piece of evidence and I was threatened that I would be kept in solitary confinement if I did not lead police to the items I am supposed to have stolen. When Police failed to locate these items I was made to stay in solitary confinement, which is a cruel punishment. There was not a piece of evidence. I have already talked to my attorney about this, and I want him to refer my imprisonment to the European Court of Human Rights.
In any case, I have to deal with this position in which I find myself in. I have no interest in living in fear and hiding, and thus cause my family distress. Negotiations with the Police in Iceland are being prepared to ensure that I can return to Iceland without being arrested abroad. Also to ensure that the document I mentioned previously is made public, as it corroborates what I said about being a free man. I can stay on the lam for as long as I please, I have made contact with a group of people who will provide a roof over my head, arrange transportation for me and even fake ID and money to pay my expenses. It would be no problem if I want, but I would much rather deal with these things back in Iceland, so I will return soon.
The following statement was sent to the local newspaper Fréttablaðið by Sindri Þór Stefánsson, who fled the country on Tuesday after breaking out of the minimum security prison Sogn in South Iceland. Sindri is a prime suspect and key witness in the Bitcoin Heist, a series of break-ins into data centers engaged in cryptocurrency mining.
Read more: Bitcoin heist suspect issues a public statement after escaping prison, fleeing country
Police has dismissed the bizarre letter as full of falsehoods, fabrication and incorrect statements.
Read more: Prison break: Suspect escaped the country, took same plane as Prime Minister to Sweden
The original letter is in Icelandic. The translation was done by us at Iceland Insider:
There are two sides to all stories. This is particularly true in this case. I know it wasn't right to flee the country like I did, but I can't take that decision back, even if I wanted to. Why did I do what I did?
I would never flee from prison if I had been legally deprived of my freedom by the order of a court. That's a fact. On April 16 at 15:00 I appeared in front of a judge after the prosecution requested that I remain in custody for 10 more days. The judge made the decision to think the matter over until April 17 at 9:30. The judge did not extend the custody temporarily while he was looking into the case. The previous custody ruling was in effect until 16:00 on April 16, an hour after I appeared in front of the judge. At that time I was a free man again.
It was not until later in the day that I realized that I was a free man when the prison staff at Sogn called me in for a meeting to inform me that I was a free man because the custody had not been extended, but that Police would nevertheless arrest me if I left the prison without giving an explanation of my movements. I was forced to sign a letter where I admitted that I was a free man but that I would spend the night in a prison cell while I waited for the judge to rule on the extension of my custody.
The Directorate of Prisons has this letter and will deliver it to my attorney..
I simply refuse to stay in prison on my own free will, especially when I'm being threatened with arrest by the police.
I'm not trying to argue that I made the correct decision when I left, and I regret this decision because my family has come under significant scrutiny, being subjected to badgering by members of the public and the media. I did not expect that an international arrest warrant would be issued for me because I was a free man and I thought it was impossible I would be branded an escaped prisoner. I would never have done what I did if I hadn't thought I was a free man.
I have been kept in custody for two and a half months for no reason, without any evidence, but only based on Police has me under suspicion. That's what makes me most angry. I have not been presented with a single piece of evidence and I was threatened that I would be kept in solitary confinement if I did not lead police to the items I am supposed to have stolen. When Police failed to locate these items I was made to stay in solitary confinement, which is a cruel punishment. There was not a piece of evidence. I have already talked to my attorney about this, and I want him to refer my imprisonment to the European Court of Human Rights.
In any case, I have to deal with this position in which I find myself in. I have no interest in living in fear and hiding, and thus cause my family distress. Negotiations with the Police in Iceland are being prepared to ensure that I can return to Iceland without being arrested abroad. Also to ensure that the document I mentioned previously is made public, as it corroborates what I said about being a free man. I can stay on the lam for as long as I please, I have made contact with a group of people who will provide a roof over my head, arrange transportation for me and even fake ID and money to pay my expenses. It would be no problem if I want, but I would much rather deal with these things back in Iceland, so I will return soon.
