The British government rejected a request today to pardon renowned English mathematician, codebreaker, and computing innovator Alan Turing, who was convicted of gross indecency in 1952. The request for a pardon was initiated by scientists and mathematicians around the world as well as a publicly circulated petition to the government in London.
The online government petition, which was started last year, asked for a pardon that “may act as an apology to many of the other gay men, not as well known as Alan Turing, who were subjected to these laws.” It currently has close to 24,000 signatures. An earlier petition calling for a formal apology prompted then Prime Minister Gordon Brown to write such an apology on behalf of the British government in 2009. Continue reading