Under Diomaye and Sonko, Senegal prepares to crack down on homosexuality
This Wednesday, March 11, the Senegalese National Assembly is examining a bill aimed at toughening the punishment of same-sex relationships. If the bill is adopted, the maximum sentence could reach ten years in prison, double the current penalty.
This initiative comes in a climate of growing pressure against LGBTQ+ people. In recent weeks, several arrests have been reported in the country. In early February, a dozen men were arrested, including two well-known local figures, on charges of ’unnatural acts« - a criminal term used to describe homosexual relations.
Since then, arrests have been reported almost daily, according to the local press. Some are said to have been triggered by public accusations or cell phone searches. The identities of several of those arrested have also circulated publicly, fuelling a climate of stigmatization.
The excuse of religion...
Amplifying this repression, Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko said he “personally” supported the bill, which he “fully assumes”. If validated, the text would not be limited to reinforcing sanctions against same-sex relationships. It also provides for prison sentences against those who defend or support the rights of LGBTQ+ people.
In a predominantly Muslim and deeply religious country, the issue of homosexuality remains extremely sensitive.
Indeed, in an interview with German media outlet “Deutsche Welle”, former Senegalese Prime Minister Aminata Touré, known as “Mimi Touré”, recently justified this tougher stance as follows: ”Senegal is a Muslim country. 95 % of the population is Muslim. It's obvious that our laws will reflect our realities and beliefs.”
The concern of human rights organizations
Faced with the gravity of the situation, Human Rights Watch has expressed its “concern about the criminalization of same-sex relationships and the safety of people living with HIV/AIDS”.
The International Federation for Human Rights, (FIDH), for its part, denounced a “reform that is part of a dynamic of rhetoric hostile to the rights of LGBTQ+ people, often justified in the name of “cultural” or religious values”.
Yet, continues the FIDH press release, “in many African countries, legislation penalizing homosexuality has its origins in codes inherited from colonial times. This colonial heritage is too often ignored or denied in order to promote the idea of a “Western agenda” that would impose respect for the rights of LGBTQ+ people.
It now remains to be seen whether or not the bill will be validated by the Assembly...
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Founded in December 2023, Média Féministe Africain is a media committed to the rights of African women and girls. Every day, it offers political, economic, social and cultural information to help its readers better understand women's and feminist news in different countries.
