Human Rights Watch reports that Senegal’s escalating crackdown on LGBTQ+ people—triggered by a new penal code amendment doubling prison terms to 10 years—has driven vulnerable individuals into hiding, disrupted HIV care, and triggered hundreds of arrests ahead of the Youth Olympic Games.
Senegal is facing international scrutiny following a severe crackdown on LGBTQ+ people that has fueled widespread fear, forced individuals into hiding, and created severe barriers to essential healthcare. The escalation follows a parliamentary vote on March 11, 2026, which amended article 319 of the penal code to double the maximum prison sentence for consensual same-sex conduct to between five and 10 years.
Detentions Rise as HIV Transmission Charges Are Dismissed
While official statistics on arrests remain unavailable, local organizations have documented a sharp rise in detentions. According to the Dakar-based African Forum for the Defense of Human Rights, at least 212 people were arrested between February and July under the intensifying climate. Meanwhile, the HIV Justice Network reported that total arrests exceeded 300 during that same timeframe, with 82 individuals facing specific charges of voluntary HIV transmission,
though a court ultimately dismissed those particular charges in August. Major urban centers such as Dakar, Thiès, and Saint Louis have experienced widespread arrests, mandatory HIV screenings, and major barriers to legal counsel, as outlined in a recent publication by the organization. Human rights monitors noted that authorities have forced detainees to undergo these tests and disclosed medical information.
Human Rights Watch researchers gathered testimony indicating that the punitive government measures are deterring people from seeking routine medical care. Fear of arrest and societal stigma are forcing individuals to conceal their identities, avoid HIV testing and treatment, and keep away from lawyers. Legal professionals themselves are increasingly reluctant to take on queer clients. During their May mission to Senegal, Human Rights Watch investigators spoke with 39 individuals, a group comprising 15 members of the local queer community, nine civil society figures and rights defenders, five individuals taken into custody between late 2025 and early 2026, four medical professionals, two lawyers, two journalists, and two government officials.
“LGBT people are being forced to curb their normal activities and to keep from exercising their rights for fear of arrest and increased stigma,”
Larissa Kojoué, LGBTQ+ rights researcher at Human Rights Watch
The Legislative Expansion and ‘Acts Against Nature’
Although same-sex sexual conduct has been punishable under a law passed in 1965, hostility toward sexual minorities has intensified significantly in recent years. The newly enacted legislation explicitly categorizes homosexuality alongside bestiality and necrophilia under offenses officially deemed acts against nature. Furthermore, the law penalizes the promotion or financing of homosexuality, targeting organizations that advocate for sexual and gender minorities. The amendment to article 319 of the penal code was adopted by the parliament by a vote of 135 to 0, with three abstentions.
The legislative shift aligns Senegal with a broader regional trend across Africa. More than 30 of the continent’s 54 countries currently criminalize same-sex acts. With maximum prison terms reaching 10 years, Senegal joins nations such as Kenya, Sierra Leone, and Tanzania, while countries like Uganda, Somalia, and Mauritania maintain even harsher penalties, including the death penalty in some cases. The West African nation has witnessed a surge in anti-LGBTQ+ measures recently, featuring numerous arrests of individuals suspected of homosexuality, highlighted by an August court proceeding involving 71 men prosecuted for committing acts against nature.
Political Fallout and the Upcoming Youth Olympic Games
The timing of the crackdown has drawn intense international focus because Senegal is set to host the fourth edition of the Youth Olympic Games from October 31 to November 13, welcoming roughly 2,700 athletes as the first Olympic event takes place on African soil. Human Rights Watch has emphasized that the Olympic Charter strictly prohibits discrimination on any grounds and requires host nations to respect human rights and human dignity. An HRW investigator specializing in LGBTQ+ issues, Larissa Kojoué, pointed out that the ongoing crackdown by authorities casts serious doubt on Senegal’s adherence to international standards and the Olympic Charter.
As early as 2022, he tweeted that the law criminalizing homosexuality would be one of the first he would push through. Meanwhile, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, founder of the La France Insoumise party, has publicly expressed his disagreement with the homophobic program of the ruling party in Senegal.