Iceland Prime Minister's Father Tries To Clear Pedophiles Name

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Prime Minister’s Father Tries To Help Convicted Pedophile

According to reports, Iceland’s government was in falling apart on Friday after a coalition party quit because the prime minister’s father tried to clear a pedophile’s name. The centrist Bright Future Party said in a Facebook post that there was “a serious breach of trust,” causing their withdrawal.

Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson took office in January with his Independence Party, the Reform Party and the centrists. Benediktsson’s father, Benedikt Sveinsson, reportedly helped a convicted child molester apply for a clause in the country’s judicial system that allows those who’ve served sentences for serious crimes to “restore their honor.” The criminal in question is Hjalti Sigurjon Hauksson, who in 2004 was convicted of raping his stepdaughter almost every day for 12 years, and sentenced to five years in jail.

Sveinsson made a statement claiming he didn’t know his actions would do anything beside helping a convicted felon get back on their feet. He said, “what was supposed to be a small gesture of good will towards a convicted criminal has instead turned into a continuation of the tragedy for the victim. For this I again apologize.”