Senegal escalates anti-gay campaign, prosecutes 71 individuals

Sweeping measures to suppress homosexuality are underway in Senegal, with the public prosecutor's office revealing that 71 men have been charged with "unnatural acts", marking a significant escalation in the country's crackdown on same-sex relationships.

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A court appearance was made by the accused men, while 28 other defendants were cleared of all charges, as disclosed in an official statement issued late on Friday.

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A major overhaul of Senegal's laws regarding homosexuality was implemented in March, resulting in the maximum penalty for such offenses being doubled, with those found guilty now facing imprisonment for a term of five to ten years.

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Over 100 individuals, including several high-profile figures, have been taken into custody in recent months on suspicion of engaging in homosexual activities, with some also accused of intentionally transmitting HIV.

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Following a preliminary investigation, charges were formally lodged, although allegations of "endangering the lives of others" and "wilful transmission of HIV/AIDS" were ultimately dismissed, according to the statement.

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Prosecutor Saliou Dicko confirmed to AFP on Saturday that a French national, a engineer in his thirties residing in Dakar, who had been detained since February on charges of "unnatural acts", had the charges against him dropped.

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The public prosecutor's office has subsequently lodged an appeal against this decision, as part of its ongoing efforts to enforce the country's stringent laws on homosexuality.

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A trend of increased legislative action against homosexuality is emerging in West Africa, with several countries in the region recently enacting laws that criminalise same-sex relationships.