GERMANY: Government To Annul Convictions Of 50K Men Charged Under Old Anti-Homosexuality Laws

The compensation aspect is intriguing. The BBC reports:

Germany is set to annul the convictions of gay men under a law criminalising homosexuality that was applied zealously in post-war Germany. Justice Minister Heiko Maas is to overturn the convictions and create a “right to compensation”.

About 50,000 men were convicted between 1946 and 1969, under a 19th Century law that the Nazis had sharpened. Homosexuality was decriminalised in 1969, but the law continued to exist until 1994.

For those with past convictions for being gay, the decision has been a long time coming. In 2002, the government decided to overturn any convictions made during the Nazi period, but this did not include men convicted after the war.

Now a study commissioned by the Federal Anti-discrimination Agency has found the government is legally obliged to rehabilitate the men.

(Tipped by JMG reader David)