Scotland has passed a bill which will pardon gay and bi-sexual men for historical convictions of homosexuality.
The Historical Sexual Offences (Pardons and Disregards) Bill will also pardon men who received convictions of same-sex sexual activity.
The bill was passed unanimously by the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday.
Justice Secretary Michael Matheson, who brought the legislation to Parliament, said:
“This marks a key moment where we address a historic wrong, where the law criminalised people simply because of their sexual orientation.
“This bill can itself not right the massive injustice caused by laws that helped foster homophobia and hatred, criminalised acts between consenting adults, and stopped people from being themselves around their families, friends, neighbours and colleagues.”
Private same-sex activity between two men over the age of 21 was illegal in Scotland until 1981 and the age of consent for gay men was only reduced to 16 in 2001.
Last year the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon apologised to those convicted of same-sex activity that is now legal.
She said: “Scotland has travelled so far in recent years, in relation to LGBTI equality, that it still shocks to recall that as recently as 1980 – well within my lifetime - consenting sexual activity between men was still classed as a criminal activity in this country.”
Gay Pride
Tim Hopkins, Director of the Equality Network, said: “We very much welcome the Parliament passing this bill unanimously.
“This is concrete recognition of the huge harm that was done to people who were prosecuted or lived under these old laws. Together with the First Minister’s apology, the message is that Scotland has changed for good, and that discrimination is no longer acceptable.”
