Árni Johnsen

Árni Johnsen (1 March 1944 – 6 June 2023) was an Icelandic journalist, politician, musician and athlete from Vestmannaeyjar, who represented the Independence Party in the Althing as a member of the South Constituency.[1]

This is an Icelandic name. The last name is a family name, but this person is referred to by the given name Árni.
Árni Johnsen
Born(1944-03-01)1 March 1944
Vestmannaeyjar, Kingdom of Iceland
Died6 June 2023(2023-06-06) (aged 79)
Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland
Occupation(s)Journalist, politician
Member of Alþingi
In office
1983 – 1987
1991 – 2001
2007 – 2013
Personal details
Political partyIndependence Party

Early life

Árni was born in Vestmannaeyjar to Poul C. Kanélas, an American soldier of Greek ancestry who was stationed in Iceland during World War II,[2] and Ingibjörg Á. Johnsen.[3] In his youth, Árni competed in track and field. In 1965, he ran the 100 meter dash in a personal best 11.0 seconds.[4]

Career

Árni was a journalist for Morgunblaðið from 1967 to 1991 and also worked as a producer for RÚV.[5]

Árni was first elected to Alþingi in 1983. He served as a debuty member of Alþingi from 1988 to 1991 and a full time member from 1991 until his resignation on 19 July 2001 after it was revealed he had used funds from the National Theatre of Iceland to purchase goods for his personal use.[5][6] In 2002 he was convicted of paying for personal property using government accounts and sentenced to two years in prison.[7] After his release, he was re-elected in 2007 and served until 2013.[5]

Outside of his journalist and political career, Árni wrote several interview books, collected jokes and verses from members of parliament and published them in several books. He wrote music, played his own songs and other people's songs on records and annually led singalongs at the festival Þjóðhátíð.[8][9]

Death

Árni died at the Healthcare Institution of South Iceland in Vestmannaeyjar on 6 June 2023, at the age of 79.[10]

References
  1. Kristinn H. Guðnason (29 April 2018). "Þetta er það alversta sem ég hef lent í og hef ég lent í mörgu". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  2. Kristinn Haukur Guðnason (8 June 2023). "Andrúmsloftið í stofunni var þykkt af sorg". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  3. Hólmfríður Gísladóttir (7 June 2023). "Árni Johnsen er látinn". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  4. Jón Birgir Pétursson (17 August 1965). "Kópavogur vann Vestm.eyjar". Vísir (in Icelandic). p. 2. Retrieved 8 June 2023 – via Tímarit.is.open access
  5. "Andlát: Árni Johnsen, fv. alþingismaður". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 7 June 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  6. "Árni Johnsen segir af sér þingmennsku". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 20 July 2001. pp. 52, 6, 10, 26. Retrieved 7 June 2023 – via Tímarit.is.open access
  7. Jón Hákon Halldórsson (25 July 2008). "Árni Johnsen ósáttur við að vera kallaður stórslys". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  8. "Iceland: A Users Manual". The Reyjavik Grapevine. 25 July – 7 August 2003. p. 29. Retrieved 31 October 2019 – via Tímarit.is. The highlight has always been the slope singalong, hosted by politician and artist Árni Johnsen, sort of Iceland´s Jeffrey Archer, who is currently in jail for corruption, but his release might be secured in timeopen access
  9. Kristján Hjálmarsson (5 August 2013). "Merkilegt að þjóðsöngurinn skuli toppa öll lög". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  10. Rebekka Líf Ingadóttir (7 June 2023). "Árni Johnsen er látinn". RÚV (in Icelandic). Retrieved 7 June 2023.
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