Monday Ice: Human Rights

Iceland it seems is demonstrating that even though they are a small country they will not bow down to countries that fail dismally with human rights issues.

The mayor of Reykjavik Jón Gnarr who is very quickly gaining my respect, recently handed a letter to a Chinese delegation protesting the arrest of human rights activist Liu Xiaobo, who was sentenced to 11 years gaol on Christmas day 2009.  The Chinese visitors were not particularly happy and the meeting was cut short.  So that the cakes and pastries did not go to waste Jón Gnarr invited his grandmother, mother and mother-inlaw over for afternoon tea instead.

Iceland's Foreign Minister  Össur Skarphéðinsson and his team were in New York for the United Nations General Assembly,  this amusing pic is of the Iceland delegate listening to Robert Mugabe, I do wonder if it was for real or perhaps a silent protest!

original source

However Össur Skarphéðinsson did give a pretty good speech on Human Rights issues and I doubt he made many friends with the Israelis or Iranians.

If you want to read more about these check out the Iceland Weather Report here and here.