“We are living in fear”: Gay people in Senegal amid crackdown

Regulation: Legislative Changes in Senegal

Senegal is currently advancing legislative measures to strengthen laws against same-sex relations, which are already criminalized in the country. Earlier this year, Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko proposed increasing the penalties for such acts. The proposed amendment seeks to elevate the maximum prison sentence from five to ten years, doubling the current penalty for what is referred to as "acts against nature" under the law.

The measure received parliamentary approval on March 11 and is pending the signature of President Bassirou Diomaye Faye to be enacted into law. Senegal's penal code, particularly Article 319, already penalizes same-sex conduct, a regulation that traces back to colonial legislation. Although enforcement has been inconsistent historically, recent developments indicate a potential shift towards stricter implementation.

Since February, there have been numerous arrests reported, including that of journalist Pape Biram Bigué Ndiaye, who was subsequently released. Dakar police have confirmed that multiple investigations are ongoing. Human Rights Watch has expressed concerns over heightened anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and the mounting pressure on lawmakers to enforce stricter penalties. Previous legislative attempts to amend the law in 2022 and 2024 were unsuccessful.

Public hostility has been on the rise, highlighted by a 2023 incident in Kaolack where a mob exhumed and burned the body of a man perceived to be gay. February protests in Dakar framed homosexuality as a public health threat, with accusations against LGBTQ+ individuals of spreading HIV, claims that have been widely refuted by health experts.

The protests were organized by And Samm Djiko Yi, a group advocating for the preservation of what it terms as Senegalese values. The group's founder, Serigne Ababacar Mboup, argues that homosexuality contradicts local traditions and blames Western nations and international organizations for its promotion.

Advocacy groups report an increasingly hostile environment for LGBTQ+ individuals in Senegal. Free Senegal, an organization supporting LGBTQ+ persons, closed its safe house in Dakar in 2025 due to fears that neighbors might report residents to the authorities. The group indicates that political discourse has exacerbated anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment, especially during election cycles, while resources for protection and support remain insufficient.

Some individuals have chosen to leave the country. An activist who relocated from Senegal in 2000 continues to support vulnerable individuals from abroad, citing persistent threats and social ostracism as reasons for his departure.

Based on reporting by Africanews.