Senegal has significantly tightened its stance on same-sex relations, with a French engineer now detained in Dakar since February 14. Diplomatic sources confirm the arrest was made under charges including “unnatural acts,” as part of a broader crackdown.

The engineer, in his early 30s and residing in the capital, was taken into custody alongside multiple others during a coordinated operation targeting alleged LGBTQ+ activities. Charges include not only “unnatural acts” but also conspiracy, money laundering, and attempted HIV transmission.

French authorities are closely monitoring the case. The French embassy in Dakar has conducted four consular visits, maintaining regular contact with the detainee’s family and coordinating with Paris-based officials to ensure his rights are protected.

Legal crackdown fuels anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment

Senegal’s parliament approved a sweeping amendment in early March, imposing prison sentences of five to ten years for same-sex relations. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye signed the legislation into law on March 31, reflecting a growing intolerance toward LGBTQ+ individuals in the predominantly Muslim nation.

The new law arrives amid a surge in anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and arrests across the country. Same-sex relationships are widely condemned in Senegal, where political leaders have long used such measures to rally conservative support.

France has publicly reiterated its commitment to universal human rights, emphasizing the need to decriminalize homosexuality worldwide and protect LGBTQ+ individuals from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.