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Friday, June 23, 2017

Germany to Quash Convictions of 50,000 Gay Men

Parliament votes through measure overturning conviction and offering compensation to the estimated 5,000 men still alive

Germany’s parliament has voted to quash the convictions of 50,000 gay men sentenced for homosexuality under a Nazi-era law that remained in force after the second world war.

After decades of lobbying, victims and activists hailed a triumph in the struggle to clear the names of gay men who lived with a criminal record under article 175 of the penal code.

An estimated 5,000 of those found guilty under the statute are still alive. The measure overwhelmingly passed the Bundestag lower house of parliament, where chancellor Angela Merkel’s coalition enjoys a large majority.

It also offers gay men convicted under the law a lump sum of €3,000 (£2,600) as well as an additional €1,500 for each year they spent in prison.

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4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good. Ridiculousness in the first place. I don't care for them, but it shouldn't be illegal

Anonymous said...

This is so wrong! Those convictions should stay, don't rewrite history to be PC.

Anonymous said...

It will soon mean a death sentence when Shiria Law takes full effect.

Anonymous said...

If they were down on their knees, or bent over with their pants down, in other words, there is positive proof, than no conviction should be overturned in those cases.