Senegal’s anti-lgbt+ law: a french national’s detention sparks human rights concerns

• A French citizen has been held in detention in Senegal since February 14, facing charges that include “acts against nature.”
• Senegal significantly strengthened its laws against homosexual relations in March, making them punishable by up to ten years in prison.
• The French Embassy in Dakar is closely monitoring the situation of its national.

The French national has been incarcerated in Senegal for two months now. He was apprehended on February 14, 2026, on multiple charges, including “acts against nature,” criminal association, money laundering, and attempted HIV transmission. His arrest occurred amidst a broader crackdown, part of a surge in alleged homophobic incidents and detentions targeting individuals suspected of homosexuality across the nation.

UN denounces law as a violation of human rights

In March, Senegal intensified its legal framework against homosexual relations, making them punishable by sentences ranging from five to ten years. This legislative shift has already seen consequences, with a young Senegalese man receiving a six-year prison sentence in April after being discovered in a sexual act with another man in a Dakar suburb. Regarding the detained French citizen, the French Embassy in Dakar is closely monitoring the evolving situation. Consular services have conducted four visits to him, ensuring consular protection, and maintain regular contact with his family, a practice also upheld by the Quai d’Orsay in Paris.

In Senegal, a predominantly Muslim nation, same-sex relationships are widely viewed as a deviance. The current government has long advocated for stricter enforcement against such relations, a stance that resonates politically within the country. Upon its enactment by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, condemned the law, asserting that it “flouts” fundamental human rights.

A spokesperson for the Quai d’Orsay previously voiced significant apprehension regarding the escalation of penalties for LGBT+ individuals in Senegal, alongside the introduction of new offenses criminalizing the advocacy or funding of homosexuality. France reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the universality and indivisibility of human rights. The nation remains dedicated to the global decriminalization of homosexuality, advocating for the rights of LGBT+ persons, and actively combating discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.