Össur Skarphéðinsson, Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade, says the Icelandic government will do everything in it’s power to fight against the legislation of a new anti-gay bill in Uganda. The legislation strengthens the criminalization of homosexuality by introducing the death penalty for people who are considered serial offenders.
The bill was first introduced in 2009 but has since been postponed because pressure from human activist groups and governments around the world, including condemnation from the president of the United States, Barack Obama.
“It’s a worrying matter and sad to see a bill so full of prejudice been brought into daylight. We shall not react in a kindly manner and neither will the nations we have consulted with, not in the least the other Northern countries and West Europe countries,” says Össur the Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade. European countries such as Sweden and Britain have already threatened to cut aid to Uganda if the bill is passed.