Thorbjörg Sigríður Gunnlaugsdóttir, Iceland’s Minister of Justice, has stated that the views of Pakistani religious leader Muhammad Taqi Usmani have no place in Iceland. The minister further said that Usmani’s message contradicts the core values of Icelandic society, according to a report by mbl.is.
Muhammad Taqi Usmani has defended the use of the death penalty for leaving Islam and advocated for punishments such as amputations and stoning under Islamic law. These positions have drawn strong criticism from Icelandic authorities and others who see them as incompatible with Iceland’s social values.
Iceland funds gender-equality projects, emphasis on violence prevention
Alongside the condemnation of Usmani’s views, the Government of Iceland announced grants totalling 10 million Icelandic krónur to support 11 projects working towards gender equality. A call for applications was issued in early September, particularly prioritising efforts to combat gender-based violence. The Ministry of Justice received 25 applications, which were reviewed by a ministry working group before the minister made final determinations on the allocations.
Grant recipients include Bjarmahlíð and Bjarkarhlíð, each awarded 500,000 ISK for projects to coordinate victim-centre services and develop group support for survivors of violence. Samtök um kynheilbrigði, an association focused on sexual health, was allocated 1,000,000 ISK for the ‘Fathers and sons’ project, encouraging equality in family-based discussions of sexual health. The Association of Gender Studies Teachers (Félag kynjafræðikennara) received 1,600,000 ISK to investigate masculinity and equality among young people in Iceland.
Other grants include 1,800,000 ISK to Svala Ísfeld in cooperation with Reykjavík University for research on sex trafficking, 1,000,000 ISK to Átak and Tabú for supporting disabled women’s employment opportunities, and awards to Sigurhæðir, the Association of Women of Foreign Origin, UN Women Iceland, Suðurhlíð, and Persaland for their respective equality and support projects.
Sources
- Stjórnarráð Íslands (Government of Iceland) in Icelandic
- mbl.is (first reported) in Icelandic
