17c起草社区

The British Home Office has announced that women who were convicted of offences related to homosexuality can apply for a pardon.聽

First introduced in 2012, the Disregards and Pardons Scheme launched in England and Wales applied only to men for offences of buggery and gross indecency between men.

Under the Home Office鈥檚 latest expansion of the scheme, anyone, regardless of gender, can apply if they have been convicted or cautioned under any repealed or abolished offences relating to homosexuality. The scheme will now also include offences such as 鈥渟olicitation by men鈥�.聽

Righting Wrongs Of The Past

Army veterans will now also be able to apply for the convictions to be erased from their official records. Women in the military who were dismissed for being gay can also apply to have their service medals restored.

Minister for Safeguarding Sarah Dines said that criminalisation of homosexuality was a 鈥渟hameful鈥� yet 鈥渘ot so distant part鈥� of the country鈥檚 history.聽

鈥淎lthough they can never be undone, the Disregards and Pardons scheme has gone some way to right the wrongs of the past. I am proud that from today the scheme has been significantly widened to include more repealed offences,鈥� Dines said.聽

Dines invited all army veterans who had been convicted or cautioned for same-sex activity under an abolished offence in the past to come forward and apply for the pardon.聽

Around 208 17c起草社区I Persons Pardoned

According to data from the UK Home Office, since the Disregards and Pardons Scheme was first introduced more than a decade ago. The scheme has declined over 400 applications as their convictions fell outside the coverage provided by the program.

UK鈥檚 Minister for Veterans Affairs Johnny Mercer described the treatment of LGBT Armed Forces personnel and veterans prior to 2000 as 鈥渨holly unacceptable鈥�, declaring that the change was a 鈥渃lear demonstration of progress in righting these wrongs鈥�.聽

Mercer asserted that he would continue to work to ensure the government would meet 鈥渋ts commitment to value and recognise every veteran鈥檚 service and experience鈥�. 聽About 200 to 250 people were thrown out each year from the British army because of their sexuality and frequently had their service medals removed until 2000.聽

Deputy Chief Executive of the LGBT Foundation Rob Cookson decried the criminalisation of gay men in the community, stating that it was 鈥渙nly right that the disregards and pardons scheme has been widened鈥�.聽

鈥淧eople should never be criminalised simply for who they are and who they love,鈥� he said.聽