A French citizen has been held in detention in Senegal since February 14, facing charges that notably include « acts against nature ». This development comes as Senegal has recently enacted stricter penalties concerning homosexual relations.

The individual, an engineer in his thirties residing in Dakar, was apprehended on February 14, 2026, during a series of arrests. The charges brought against him encompass « acts against nature », « criminal association », « money laundering », and « attempted transmission of HIV ».

The French embassy in Dakar is closely monitoring the situation of its compatriot. Our consulate has conducted four visits to him as part of consular protection efforts and maintains regular contact with his family, a practice also upheld by the Quai d’Orsay services in Paris.

Escalating crackdown on alleged homosexuality

Senegal, a nation with a predominantly Muslim population, passed new legislation in early March that now imposes prison sentences ranging from five to ten years for homosexual relations. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye officially promulgated this law on March 31.

This legal tightening emerges amidst a climate of rising homophobia within the country and a succession of arrests targeting individuals suspected of homosexuality. In Senegal, same-sex relationships are widely viewed as a deviation, and the increased repression of such acts has been a long-standing political pledge by the current ruling administration, resonating strongly with a segment of the electorate.

France reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the universal and indivisible respect for human rights, advocating for the global decriminalization of homosexuality, championing the rights of LGBT+ individuals, and actively combating discrimination rooted in sexual orientation and gender identity.