New Zealand government pardons men convicted of homosexuality

The New Zealand government has pardoned almost a thousand men convicted of crimes related to homosexuality. Before 1986 sodomy, indecency between males, and keeping a place of resort for homosexual acts was Illegal and often resulted in lengthy jail times. In July of last year, the government offered an official apology and now they are backing it up with a full pardon.

Justice Minister Andrew Little said in a statement: this week’s pardon ‘sends a clear signal that discrimination against gay people is no longer acceptable, and we are committed to putting right wrongs from the past. I would like to apologise again to all the men and members of the rainbow community who have been affected by the prejudice, stigma and other negative effects caused by convictions for historical homosexual offences.’

Some advocacy groups have said this is not enough and that these mean deserve compensation.

‘People’s lives have been wrecked by an injustice that was done to them by the law and it is really the least they can expect to have some kind of recompense in their old age for this rather terrible thing that has happened to them,’ said gay rights campaigner Bill Logan.

Germany paid gay men compensation of €3,000 for each conviction and €1,500 for every year spent in jail.

Tim Gibson - mygwork

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