Nobel Peace Peace Prize winner and Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has defended a Liberian law that criminalizes homosexual acts. In Liberia, so-called “voluntary sodomy” is considered a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in prison. Sirleaf made the comment during an interview with The Guardian newspaper.

Reporter: “At the moment, I mean, voluntary sodomy is illegal at the moment. So, in essence, homosexuality for two gay men under the books is illegal in Liberia.”

President Sirleaf: “We’ve got certain traditional values in our society that we’d like to preserve.”

Reporter: “So you’re saying you wouldn’t decriminalize that current law?”

President Sirleaf: “I’ve just said to you we’re going to maintain our traditional values.”

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who was taking part in the joint interview, refused to criticize Sirleaf’s stance.

Reporter: “Given that good governance and human rights go hand in hand, what is your advice to Madam President and Liberia on this gay rights issue?”

Tony Blair: “You know, one of the advantages of doing what I do now is that I can choose the issues I get into and the issues I don’t. So, you know, for us the priorities are on power, roads, jobs, delivery. I’m not saying these issues aren’t important, but the President has given her position, and this is not one for me.”