Hundreds arrested in Senegal under toughened anti LGBTQ legislation

Authorities in Senegal have detained at least 320 people for acts against nature following the toughening of laws criminalising homosexuality, the Guardian reported on 15 October. Mass arrests, forced HIV testing, and obstacles to obtaining legal representation are part of an escalating crackdown against LGBTQ individuals, according to a report by Human Rights Watch. [1]

More than 320 individuals have been arrested and detained since February, according to figures from the HIV Justice Network cited in the Human Rights Watch report. Among those detained, at least 84 individuals were charged with voluntary HIV transmission based solely on their HIV status, the Guardian reported. Related reports from LGBTQ Nation and BreakingNews.ie also confirmed that hundreds of people have been arrested in the crackdown. [1][2][3]

The enforcement actions have forced LGBTQ people in Senegal to go into hiding, the Guardian and BreakingNews.ie both reported. Human Rights Watch noted that the current measures pose significant threats to human rights within the country. [1][2][3]

Senegal transitioned to independence under Léopold Sédar Senghor and has evolved into one of sub-Saharan Africa's more stable electoral democracies, achieving peaceful alternations of power in 2000 and 2012. Bassirou Diomaye Faye achieved electoral victory in March 2024 following protests over earlier election delays. [6]