Authorities in Senegal have formally accused 71 men of engaging in unnatural acts, marking a significant escalation in the nation’s effort to suppress homosexual activity. This update was confirmed by the office of the public prosecutor on Friday.
While 71 individuals now face court proceedings, the prosecution has dropped charges against 28 others. These legal developments follow a preliminary investigation that notably dismissed initial accusations related to the transmission of HIV/AIDS and endangering public health.
Legislative changes enacted in March have heightened the legal pressure on the LGBTQ+ community, doubling potential prison sentences for homosexual behavior to a range of five to ten years. Over the last several months, security forces have detained more than 100 people, a group that includes prominent local figures, on allegations ranging from homosexual conduct to the intentional spread of disease.
In one high-profile instance, a French engineer residing in Dakar who had been in custody since February was cleared of the charge of unnatural acts. However, prosecutor Saliou Dicko confirmed that the state is currently appealing this dismissal. This trend of criminalizing homosexual acts reflects broader legislative patterns emerging across West Africa.
