Thousands sign Alan Turing petition

Over 16,000 people have signed a petition calling on the government to officially pardon the code breaker Alan Turing.
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As we reported earlier this week a petition has been launched calling on the UK government to issue a formal apology for Alan Turing; the World War Two code-breaker. Turing worked at Bletchley Park during the war aiding the British government crack the Nazi codes.  Turing created the machine which helped the Allies crack the codes used by the German Engima machines; the invention undoubtedly helped the allies win the war against the Nazis.

Despite his vital work for the war Turing was prosecuted in the 1950s because of his homosexuality; he was forced to undergo chemical castration and committed suicide shortly after. Male homosexuality was illegal in the United Kingdom until 1967 when it was decriminalised because of changing attitudes of the public and because of the of the recommendation of the Wolfenden report of the 1950s.

In 2009 there was a high profile campaign, led by Richard Dawkins amongst others, which demanded that the Prime Minister (of the time, Gordon Brown), apologise for the British government’s treatment of Turing; an apology on behalf of the government was issued by Mr. Brown. However, campaigners now want an official pardon for Turing’s treatment and criminal conviction.

The petition has, at the time of writing, amassed 16,000 signatures already if it reaches 100,000 it will automatically trigger a debate in the House of Commons. The petition has generated a lot of interest within the gay press with considerable coverage.

You can sign the petition here >>