Human Rights Watch (HRW) is sounding the alarm over what it calls a brutal and escalating crackdown on LGBTQ+ people in Senegal.
A new report from the watchdog points to mass arrests, forced HIV testing, and severe restrictions on legal representation across major cities, including Dakar, Thiès, and Saint Louis. Civil society groups say more than 200 people have been detained since Parliament doubled prison sentences for same-sex relations to 10 years earlier this year. Local health workers warn the climate of fear is already driving vulnerable people away from essential medical care and HIV treatment.
The report comes at an uncomfortable time for Dakar, as the country prepares to host the Youth Olympic Games later this month. Rights groups are calling on the government to stop the arrests and honour its international commitments to human rights and non-discrimination.
–ChannelAfrica/HRW–
