DAKAR, Senegal — A young man met with reporters at a high-end hotel in Senegal’s capital city, displaying clear signs of anxiety as he avoided direct eye contact and positioned himself with his back to the wall while watching the entrance. He explained that he had gone into hiding after his family rejected him for being gay and authorities questioned one of his friends.
Originally from Touba, a city that serves as the heart of Senegal’s Sufi Muslim tradition, he now stays with another friend who remains unaware of his sexual orientation. His experience reflects a growing pattern in this nation where same-sex relationships are prohibited by law, and officials are on the verge of implementing extended prison sentences for such conduct.
“There’s a lot of fear,” the young man said.
The Associated Press was unable to independently confirm his story or verify accounts from other individuals who requested anonymity due to concerns about potential retaliation.
Senegal joins a growing list of African nations — where more than half have criminalized homosexuality — that are pursuing stricter punishments for same-sex conduct. Uganda recently implemented capital punishment for “aggravated homosexuality,” sparking widespread international condemnation.
Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko announced plans earlier this year to enhance penalties for “unnatural acts,” the legal terminology used in Senegalese statutes to describe homosexuality, expanding the maximum sentence from five years imprisonment plus fines to ten years behind bars.
Parliamentary approval came on March 11, and the legislation awaits President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s signature to take effect, with expectations that he will endorse the measure.
Article 319 of the Penal Code currently criminalizes consensual same-sex behavior, prohibiting “acts against nature.” This conservative, predominantly Muslim nation adopted these anti-homosexuality provisions from colonial French legal codes, though enforcement has historically been inconsistent.
Neither Senegal’s justice ministry nor the presidential office provided responses to inquiries regarding the push for harsher sentencing. Multiple local experts declined to discuss the matter, expressing concerns about possible retaliation.
News outlets have documented numerous detentions since early February, including the arrest of well-known local journalist Pape Biram Bigué Ndiaye, who was subsequently freed. Dakar law enforcement officials confirmed they are investigating multiple related cases.
Following the detention of twelve gay men in Dakar, Human Rights Watch documented the escalation of anti-LGBTQ+ messaging, highlighting that Senegalese lawmakers unsuccessfully attempted to strengthen homosexuality penalties in both 2022 and 2024.
The human rights organization reported that public hostility toward homosexuality has sometimes turned violent: In October 2023, residents of Kaolack “a mob exhumed the body of a man they believed to be gay, dragged it through the streets, and burned it in the town square.” Video of the incident spread widely online.
During a February demonstration in Dakar protesting what organizers termed the “intentional transmission of HIV,” participants shouted anti-gay chants. “Intentional transmission of HIV” represents a frequent allegation in Senegal targeting any sexual activity involving someone who is HIV-positive.
The organization And Samm Djiko Yi, which translates to “Together for the Preservation of Values,” has coordinated recent demonstrations and spearheaded efforts to extend prison terms.
Organization founder Serigne Ababacar Mboup characterized his opposition to “the homosexual agenda” as crucial, claiming that Western nations and the United Nations are forcing LGBTQ+ acceptance onto Senegal as these entities increasingly embrace gay rights.
“Homosexuality is contrary to our customs, our values, and our beliefs,” Mboup told the AP. “We are not trying to impose anything on you, so in turn, learn to respect people and their positions, especially on societal issues.”
Free Senegal, an organization dedicated to helping relocate LGBTQ+ individuals facing legal action, reported that conditions have worsened. The group maintained a secure residence in Dakar until 2025, when they shut it down over concerns that local residents would alert law enforcement.
A representative for the organization attributed the growth of anti-gay groups and the “freedom to express hatred towards the LGBT community” to politicians courting voter support during campaign seasons.
Free Senegal represents one of several organizations working to safeguard Senegal’s LGBTQ+ population. The spokesperson identified insufficient financial resources as another significant obstacle.
Some individuals choose to leave the country entirely. One man who escaped to France in 2000 after facing backlash for appearing in a gay rights documentary now assists Free Senegal’s operations from abroad.
His voice became emotional during his conversation with the AP as he recalled the confrontation with neighbors and the persistent opposition to LGBTQ+ people in his homeland.
“I cannot return to Senegal,” he said.
