Senegal LGBTQ+ Crackdown Drives People Into Hiding

Published: 15 October 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online.

A widening crackdown on LGBTQ+ people in Senegal has pushed members of the community into hiding, restricted their movements and prompted some to leave the country, amid reports of hundreds of arrests, forced HIV testing and growing difficulties in accessing legal representation.

More than 320 people have reportedly been arrested and detained since February on allegations linked to “acts against nature”, according to figures cited by Human Rights Watch in a report examining the deteriorating situation. At least 84 people were also charged with voluntary HIV transmission solely on the basis of their HIV status, according to the report.

The arrests have taken place against the backdrop of major changes to Senegal’s penal code. In March, parliament approved amendments that significantly increased penalties for consensual same-sex relations, raising the maximum prison sentence to 10 years.

The legislation also introduced prison terms of up to seven years and substantial fines for people accused of promoting homosexuality or supporting or financing LGBTQ+ individuals and organisations. The measures have intensified concerns among human rights advocates, lawyers, healthcare professionals and members of the LGBTQ+ community that the legal changes are creating an atmosphere of fear extending well beyond those directly accused of criminal offences.

Larissa Kojoué, an LGBTQ+ rights researcher at Human Rights Watch, said the pressure had forced LGBTQ+ people to change ordinary aspects of their lives because of fears of arrest and increasing social stigma. She called on Senegal’s government to end the crackdown, warning that the consequences could affect broader rights and freedoms.

The latest developments mark a significant escalation in a country where same-sex sexual activity has been illegal since 1965. Although Senegal had previously maintained criminal penalties against homosexuality, hostility towards LGBTQ+ people has become increasingly visible in recent years, including during the country’s political campaigns.

During the 2024 presidential campaign, Bassirou Diomaye Faye and then opposition figure Ousmane Sonko pledged to strengthen laws criminalising same-sex relations. The issue was presented by political figures as a matter of national importance, helping to reinforce an already hostile public environment for LGBTQ+ people.

The crackdown has affected both men and women and has reportedly spread across different parts of the country. Police have said arrests have resulted from information obtained from seized mobile phones, allegations made by third parties and raids on private premises.

For people already facing social discrimination, the possibility that information stored on personal devices could lead to arrest has created additional fear. Private communications, photographs and personal relationships can potentially become evidence in investigations, leaving members of the community increasingly concerned about their privacy and safety.

The pressure has also affected lawyers. According to Human Rights Watch, some legal professionals have expressed fear about representing people accused under the strengthened laws because they worry that providing legal assistance could expose them to prosecution themselves.

That development has raised concerns about access to justice and the ability of accused people to receive effective legal representation. Human rights advocates say the right to a fair trial is particularly important when criminal charges carry serious prison sentences and social consequences.

Healthcare professionals have also warned that the crackdown could undermine efforts to prevent and treat HIV. Doctors told Human Rights Watch that the changing legal environment was discouraging some people from seeking HIV testing and treatment.

Sylvie Beaumont, a consultant with HIV Justice Network, said there was anecdotal evidence that HIV clinics had experienced declining attendance. She warned that people avoiding healthcare facilities because of fear of arrest or exposure could stop testing, delay treatment and become harder for public health programmes to reach.

The development is particularly concerning because sub-Saharan Africa continues to carry a disproportionate share of the global HIV burden, despite significant progress in reducing new infections. Western and central Africa recorded a substantial decline in new HIV infections between 2010 and 2022, but health experts have repeatedly stressed that maintaining access to testing and treatment is essential to sustaining that progress.

Beaumont described the recent rate of arrests as unprecedented and questioned the use of HIV-related criminal charges in cases where individuals may have only discovered their status after being arrested, were found carrying condoms or were already receiving treatment.

Modern HIV treatment can reduce the amount of virus in the body to levels at which sexual transmission is effectively prevented. Public health experts have therefore long warned that policies based on fear, stigma and misinformation can undermine HIV prevention rather than strengthen it.

The crackdown has also raised serious concerns about confidentiality. Human Rights Watch reported allegations that police leaked details concerning ongoing investigations involving suspected LGBTQ+ people to the media. Some reports allegedly included highly sensitive personal information, including individuals’ HIV status.

The disclosure of such information can have consequences far beyond a criminal investigation. People identified in the media may face rejection by relatives, loss of employment, threats, physical violence and further social isolation. For those living in communities where homosexuality is heavily stigmatised, public exposure can create risks even after legal proceedings have ended.

Interviews conducted by Human Rights Watch indicated that fear has become widespread among LGBTQ+ communities. Some people have stopped participating in normal social activities, restricted their movements or remained indoors for long periods. Others have relocated within Senegal, while some have reportedly left the country altogether.

For many, the decision to disappear from public life is not simply a political statement but a means of protecting themselves from possible arrest, harassment or violence. The resulting isolation can also affect mental wellbeing, employment, healthcare access and relationships with family members.

Human rights organisations argue that the crackdown conflicts with protections relating to privacy, non-discrimination and fair trials contained in domestic and international legal frameworks. They have urged Senegalese authorities to ensure that law enforcement operations respect fundamental rights and that criminal investigations do not expose private individuals to unnecessary danger.

The developments in Senegal are also part of a wider shift in parts of sub-Saharan Africa towards tougher laws and enforcement measures targeting LGBTQ+ people. Several countries in the region have recently introduced or considered legislation increasing criminal penalties for same-sex relationships or activities associated with LGBTQ+ communities.

Niger criminalised same-sex sexual relations earlier this year, leading to arrests, while neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso have introduced similar measures in recent years. The trend has been particularly pronounced in countries governed by military authorities, although Senegal’s developments show that tougher anti-LGBTQ+ legislation is not limited to military-ruled states.

Ghana has also moved towards legislation targeting LGBTQ+ activities, while Uganda’s sweeping anti-homosexuality legislation has imposed extremely severe penalties for certain offences. These developments have generated international criticism and raised questions about the relationship between national legislation, human rights commitments and public health policy.

In Senegal, however, the immediate concern remains the impact on people living under the threat of arrest. Hundreds of detentions have already been reported, while members of the LGBTQ+ community are increasingly changing where they live, how they communicate and whether they seek medical care.

The crackdown has therefore created consequences that extend beyond the courtroom. Fear of arrest can influence whether people attend a clinic, speak openly with a lawyer, maintain relationships or even leave their homes. For healthcare providers, the loss of trust can make it more difficult to identify and treat patients who need support.

The coming months are likely to bring continued scrutiny of how Senegal enforces its strengthened laws and whether authorities take steps to address allegations of rights abuses. For LGBTQ+ people already living under intense social pressure, the central question is whether they can return to ordinary life without fear of arrest, exposure or violence.

Until then, many remain in hiding, while human rights and public health organisations warn that a policy intended to enforce social and criminal restrictions could produce consequences reaching far beyond the people directly targeted.