Human Rights Watch (HRW) has condemned what it describes as a brutal crackdown on LGBTQ+ people in Senegal, raising serious concerns about the country’s compliance with the Olympic Charter ahead of the Youth Olympic Games (YOG), which Senegal will host from 31 October to 13 November.
In a report released on Monday, the international human rights organisation said the government’s escalating restrictions on LGBTQ+ people violated their rights and fuelled fear and stigma. Senegal is preparing to welcome approximately 2,700 athletes for the fourth edition of the Youth Olympic Games, the first Olympic sporting event to take place on African soil.
“The Olympic Charter prohibits discrimination on any grounds and commits every host country to respecting human rights and human dignity,” HRW said in its report.
Larissa Kojouè, an HRW researcher focusing on LGBTQ+ rights, said the government’s current crackdown raised serious concerns about Senegal’s compliance with the Olympic Charter and international law.
Senegal’s parliament overwhelmingly approved a new law in late March that doubled the penalties for same-sex relations, increasing prison sentences to between five and 10 years. The legislation also introduced criminal penalties for promoting or financing homosexuality.
The law forms part of a wider wave of anti-LGBTQ+ activity in the West African country, where authorities have arrested dozens of people accused of being homosexual in recent months.
In August, authorities brought 71 men before the courts on charges of “acts against nature”, a term used in Senegal to describe same-sex relations.
HRW also warned that mass arrests, forced HIV testing and barriers to legal representation appeared to form part of a broader tightening of government measures against LGBTQ+ people.
The organisation said fear of arrest and social stigma were forcing people to conceal their identities and avoid HIV testing and treatment. It added that lawyers were also becoming reluctant to represent them.
Senegal, a predominantly Muslim country with deeply rooted religious traditions, has experienced growing hostility towards LGBTQ+ people in recent months. HRW said the escalating crackdown threatened the rights and wellbeing of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
The organisation called for the authorities to end the crackdown immediately.
The developments come amid a broader trend across parts of West Africa, where several countries have introduced laws criminalising homosexuality and imposing restrictions on LGBTQ+ people.
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