Russian news anchor Dmitry Kiselev has denied that remarks he made last year were homophobic.

Kiselev made his controversial remarks during a Russia 1 television program on the subject of whether Russia should outlaw “gay propaganda.” Since its airing last April, President Vladimir Putin has signed the bill into law.

Russia's anti-gay law has received worldwide condemnation. It prohibits the positive portrayal of gay men or lesbians in a public venue where minors might be present, effectively outlawing Gay Pride marches and similar demonstrations. Its passage has sparked boycotts of Russian exports, in particular vodka, and calls for a boycott of next year's Winter Olympics in Sochi.

Kiselev received a warm round of applause from the audience when he said that the law doesn't go far enough.

“I think that just imposing fines for homosexual propaganda among teenagers is not enough,” Kiselev told viewers. “They should be banned from donating blood, sperm. And their hearts, in case of an automobile accident, should be buried in the ground or burned as unsuitable for the continuation of life.”

In an interview with Izvestia, Kiselev denied he's anti-gay, saying that he has many gay friends, and explaining that his remarks were limited to medical practices.

“This is internationally-recognized practice and I called for nothing unusual,” he said. “This is a norm in the U.S., Europe, Japan and the Arab countries – practically everywhere, but not in Russia.”

Kiselev insisted that it was an internationally recognized fact that HIV is spread mostly in the homosexual community.

“There must be a law in Russia prohibiting these people [from] becoming donors. A law that would make a lie on this matter a crime. Because this is a personal responsibility and a grievous sin. As of now the responsibility for this sin lies with the doctor and the state.”

“If they [the Russian gay community] are responsible citizens, they would support that law, like the American gay people did. I believe Russia's human rights organizations should lobby for that kind of law, too.”

Kiselev added that he supports the government's “gay propaganda” law because “according to [Sigmund] Freud any child is bisexual.”

While it is true that the FDA bans gay men from donating blood, it is not true that activists support it. As recently as last week, 82 lawmakers called on the Obama Administration to end the policy. Mexico eased its restrictions last year, Britain in 2011.