Keys to the new Senegalese repressive law
- Jail and severe fines: The penalties for relations between people of the same sex become 5 to 10 years, with fines that can reach 15,000 euros.
- Censorship and financial suffocation: The legal text explicitly penalizes the promotion and financing of any activity related to the group.
- Aggravating circumstances for minors: The maximum penalty will be applied without exceptions when the acts involve minors, according to the new articles.
The National Assembly of Senegal has taken a historic step backwards in terms of human rights by approving this Wednesday a law that drastically toughens the repression against the group LGTBI+. In a climate of growing hostility, the country has decided to double prison sentences for homosexuality in Senegal, raising the maximum punishment from five to ten years in prison. This measure, which now depends on the promulgation of President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, consolidates a worrying authoritarian and LGBTI-phobic drift in the region.
A wave of arrests and social stigma
The approval of this law is not an isolated event, but the climax of a crisis that began in February with the arrest of 12 men, including public figures, on charges of “acts against nature.” Since then, the local press has documented a witch hunt that results in dozens of arrests daily. Hate speech has been fueled by competing accusations about the deliberate transmission of HIV, a narrative used to dehumanize victims and justify institutional violence.
The weight of religion and politics
In a Muslim-majority country, toughening persecution against homosexuality in Senegal has been a strategic political tool. The ruling party thus fulfills one of its most controversial electoral promises, yielding to pressure from influential religious associations that have been demanding total criminalization for years. Although the law includes a section to punish “bad faith complaints”, human rights organizations warn that this will not stop the climate of terror experienced by the LGTBI+ community.
An attack on international freedom
Several international entities have demanded the immediate release of those detained and the cessation of hostilities. However, the feeling of rejection towards sexual diversity continues to be the majority in Senegalese society, where it is perceived as a “deviation” alien to its values. This legislative reform not only endangers the lives of thousands of citizens, but also disconnects Senegal from international treaties protecting fundamental rights.
