RT Article
T1 The thin line between transitional justice and memory activism: the case of the German and British ‘pardons’ for convicted homosexuals
JF International journal of transitional justice
VO 12
IS 3
SP 499
OP 514
A1 Caroli, Paolo
LA English
YR 2018
UL https://krimdok.uni-tuebingen.de/Record/1844125149
AB In 2017 the British and German parliaments adopted laws in order to pardon those convicted when homosexuality was criminalized. This article compares the two laws and the respective social and legal contexts in which each was adopted, highlighting their peculiarities. Thereafter, the two laws are categorized by discussing two working hypotheses. The first considers them as reparatory measures of transitional justice. The second associates them with various private or social ventures, very different in content, motivations and impact. The hypothesis is that behind these initiatives a common implicit attitude may be perceived: a desire to amend the past in the light of current values. Finally, some sceptical thoughts about the future are presented, related to the possibility that these laws may constitute the beginning of a new legislative trend aimed at removing the effects of past criminal trials.
K1 Memory activism
K1 Presentism
K1 Posthumous pardon
K1 Homosexuality
K1 Amnesty
DO 10.1093/ijtj/ijy014