(image via flickr)The New Zealand government has announced it will wipe sex convictions for men convicted of homosexual acts.Justice Minister Amy Adams also apologised to the men and their families for the harm caused."There is no doubt that homosexual New Zealanders who were convicted and branded as criminals for consensual activity suffered tremendous hurt and stigma and we are sorry for what those men and their families have gone through," she said."Although we can never fully undo the impact on the lives of those affected, this new scheme will provide a pathway for their convictions to be expunged. It means people will be treated as if they had never been convicted, and removes the ongoing stigma and prejudice that can arise from convictions for homosexual offences."I acknowledge the pain that these New Zealanders have lived with and hope that this will go some way toward addressing that."Homosexuality in New Zealand was not decriminalised until 1986. For men before that time, gay relationships could result in a criminal conviction—one which stayed on the criminal records of many men until today.The law change, announced in a special press conference by Justice Minister Amy Adams, will allow the relevant men to apply for a full pardon, and have the convictions expunged from their record. The relatives of people convicted who have since died will also be able to apply for a pardon.Adams says around 1,000 people will be eligible for the pardons. Only acts between two consenting adults will be wiped—not offences that would still be illegal today, such as sex with boys under 16 years old."As there may be instances where the offending involved conduct that is still unlawful today, we can't apply a broad brush approach to wiping convictions. The scheme will involve a case-by-case approach," Minister Adams said in a press release.A number of countries have recently moved to pardon men convicted under similar circumstances, including the UK this year.
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