Homosexuality in Senegal

Geographical location of Senegal

In Senegal, homosexuality islargely taboo and homosexual acts are illegal. Homosexual acts are punishable by one to five years in prison in Senegal. Thereis nolegal protection against discrimination based on sexual identity in Senegal.

Both same-sex marriages and registered partnerships are not allowed in Senegal. Because of their illegality, homosexual people in Senegal are pushed into the social underground. In the capital Dakar , homosexual people have to live their lives hidden.

A ruling on January 6, 2009 against nine activists in the fight against AIDS caused violent public reactions, including from Amnesty International . They had been arrested, tortured to obtain "confessions" in police custody, and sentenced to eight years in prison by the court. Not least the massive mobilization of the public led after four months to the annulment of the sentence and the release of the convicted.

Web links

• Behind The Mask: About Senegal ( April 29, 2010 memento on the Internet Archive ), South African LGBT media site

See also

• Homosexuality in Islam
• Laws on homosexuality

Individual evidence

1. ^ Advocate, January 10, 2009: Nine Men Convicted of Homosexual Acts in Senegal
2. ↑ BBC News, May 4, 2009: Gay man disinterred in Senegal
3. ↑ Tetu, September 27, 2010: Sénégal - la torture pour obtenir les «aveux» des gays présumés ( Memento of September 29, 2010 in the Internet Archive )