Senegal faces growing international criticism following reports from Human Rights Watch detailing an escalating crackdown on LGBTQ+ individuals ahead of hosting the Youth Olympic Games in October 2026. Rights groups report over 320 arrests since February 2026, following a March law that doubled prison terms for same-sex relations to 10 years. The crackdown has disrupted HIV testing and treatment access, deterred legal representation, and raised serious concerns over Senegal's adherence to the non-discrimination provisions of the Olympic Charter.
Arrests and police tactics in Senegal
- ▪Senegalese police have arrested individuals based on information extracted from seized mobile phones, third-party allegations, and raids on private premises.
- ▪Human Rights Watch reported that over 320 individuals have been arrested and detained in Senegal on allegations of same-sex relations since February 2026.
- ▪At least 84 individuals arrested in Senegal were charged with voluntary HIV transmission solely based on their HIV status, though a court dismissed charges against 82 of them in August 2026.
- ▪Police in Senegal leaked confidential details of ongoing criminal investigations involving suspected LGBTQ+ individuals to the media, exposing their HIV status.
Human Rights reports on Senegal arrests
- ▪The African Forum for the Defense of Human Rights estimated that at least 212 people were arrested in Senegal between February and July 2026.
- ▪Human Rights Watch stated that Senegal's crackdown on LGBTQ+ people violates domestic laws, international treaties, and the right to a fair trial, privacy, and non-discrimination.
Legal proceedings against LGBTQ+ individuals in Senegal
- ▪Human Rights Watch reported that Senegal's March 2026 law has created a chilling effect that deters defense lawyers from representing suspected LGBTQ+ individuals out of fear of prosecution.
- ▪Senegalese authorities referred 71 men to trial in August 2026 on charges of acts against nature.
March 2026 legal amendments
- ▪Senegal's March 2026 legal reform classified homosexuality alongside necrophilia and bestiality under offenses categorized as acts against nature.
- ▪Senegal's March 2026 law introduced criminal penalties of up to seven years in prison and fines up to 5 million CFA francs for promoting or financing same-sex relationships.
- ▪In March 2026, Senegal's National Assembly amended the penal code to double the maximum prison sentence for same-sex relations to 10 years.
Anti-LGBTQ rhetoric in Senegal
- ▪LGBTQ+ rights advocacy in Senegal is frequently denounced as a tool used by Westerners to impose foreign values.
- ▪During the 2024 presidential campaign, Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and former Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko promised to strengthen laws criminalizing same-sex relations.
Concerns over the Youth Olympic Games
- ▪Human Rights Watch urged Senegal to halt its LGBTQ+ crackdown ahead of hosting the Youth Olympic Games from October 31 to November 13, 2026.
- ▪Human Rights Watch researcher Larissa Kojoué stated that Senegal's ongoing government crackdown on LGBT people raises serious concerns regarding compliance with the Olympic Charter.
Impact on HIV healthcare access
- ▪Human Rights Watch stated that fear of arrest under Senegal's anti-LGBTQ+ crackdown is driving individuals into hiding and discouraging them from seeking HIV testing and treatment.
- ▪Consultant Sylvie Beaumont from the HIV Justice Network reported a drop in attendance at HIV clinics in Senegal due to the ongoing anti-LGBTQ+ crackdown.
HIV statistics and response in Africa
- ▪Western and central Africa experienced a 49% fall in new HIV infections from 2010 to 2022, while sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 64% of all people living with HIV globally.
- ▪Consultant Sylvie Beaumont stated that Senegal was previously a country that was doing well with its response to HIV.
Anti-LGBTQ+ laws across Africa
- ▪More than 30 of the 54 African countries criminalize same-sex sexual activity, with Senegal having outlawed it since 1965.
- ▪Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso have all enacted new laws criminalizing same-sex relations or promoting homosexuality within the past two years under military rule.
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