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Britain pardons thousands of gay men convicted under defunct laws

Britain has granted posthumous pardons to thousands of gay and bisexual men who were convicted of sexual offences under laws which have since been abolished, the government said on Tuesday. The mass pardon, which had been announced several months ago, became a reality when a new law received royal assent.

 

The policy is known as "Turing's Law" after the celebrated mathematician and World War Two codebreaker Alan Turing, who was stripped of his job and chemically castrated after being convicted of gross indecendy in 1952 for having sex with a man. Turing killed himself two years later, aged 41.

 

Homosexual acts were decriminalized in England in 1967 and it was not until 2001 that the age of consent for homosexuals was lowered to 16, the same as for heterosexuals. "This is a truly momentous day. We can never undo the hurt caused, but we have apologized and taken action to right these wrongs," said Sam Gyimah, a junior justice minister, in a statement on Tuesday. "I am immensely proud that 'Turing's Law' has become a reality under this government."

 


פרסום ראשון: 01.31.17, 19:43