Controversial appointment to human rights council
An article by Níelsson in Morgunblaðið on "Loving your own sex" , an article against gay marriage. Níelsson was appointed to the Reykjavik human rights council yesterday, a decision later revoked. Photo/Mbl
Leader of the Progressive party in Reykjavík appointed Gústaf Níelsson as a party deputy representative at the Reykjavik human rights council, a decision met with great furore yesterday. Níelsson has written several homophobic articles in Icelandic media, is against building a mosque in Reykjavík and is a member of the anti - Islamisation of Europe movement, Pegida.
The Progressive Party has since withdrawn the appointment, stating that they did not know about Níelsson's views on homosexuality. No mention was made of the racism factor. In the evening, they released a statement expressing that the Progressive party has never been against minorities and that the appointment had been a mistake.
The appointment was severely criticized by both fellow Progressive party members such Foreign Minister Gunnar Bragi Sveinsson and Minister of Social Affairs Eygló Harðardóttir, and several members of the opposition.
