LGBTQ+ people go into hiding in Senegal as hundreds are arrested

A sweeping crackdown on LGBTQ+ individuals in Senegal has seen over 300 people detained under charges of "acts against nature" since legal restrictions were tightened, according to a new Human Rights Watch report. Authorities have also targeted those living with HIV, with at least 84 facing accusations of "voluntary HIV transmission" based solely on their status, raising serious concerns over due process. The report highlights systemic abuses, including mass arrests, forced medical testing, and severe obstacles to legal defense, as part of a broader pattern of repression. Human rights groups warn the escalating measures threaten to deepen discrimination and endanger public health.

At least 320 people detained for ‘acts against nature’ after law criminalising homosexuality toughened, HRW reportsMass arrests, forced HIV testing and barriers to legal representation are part of an escalating crackdown against LGBTQ+ people in Senegal, according to a new report.More than 320 individuals have been arrested and detained on allegations of “acts against nature” since February, according to HIV Justice Network, an organisation quoted in the Human Rights Watch (HRW) report. Among these, at least 84 were charged with “voluntary HIV transmission”, solely on the basis of their HIV status. Continue reading...