Senegal: Lawyers challenge phone searches and lack of legal counsel in LGBTQ+ cases

Senegal’s anti-homosexuality law: violations of defendants’ rights are causing concern among lawyers and NGOs

In Senegal, a month and a half after the enactment of a law toughening penalties for homosexuality, and with over a hundred people having been arrested for alleged ‘unnatural acts’ and some accused of wilful transmission of HIV, lawyers are concerned about violations of defendants’ rights, including unauthorised searches of mobile phones, interrogation reports ending up in the press, and the absence of legal representation for a number of those arrested.

with RFI correspondent in Dakar, Léa-Lisa Westerhoff

The lobby of the High Court in Dakar is bustling with people…

No case involving “unnatural acts” is being heard that day, but Maître Kandiak François Senghor wishes to discuss the conditions under which one of his clients, arrested for alleged homosexuality in early February, was questioned at the Keur Massar police station.

“The commander had confiscated and searched his mobile phone without his consent. And… in his office, he forced him to waive his right to a lawyer – that’s not right! It was also he who leaked details of the investigation to the press – it’s shocking! ‘Maître Senghor assures us that this violation of the right to legal representation is a first since 2016 and the entry into force of the UMOA regulations governing the legal profession in Senegal, but it is far from being the only one,’ explains Maître Abdou Dieng. “In the cases involving me regarding acts against nature, at least 100 people have been arrested, and of those 100, not a single one was assisted by a lawyer during questioning – that is not legal! ”

On 10 February, the two lawyers therefore filed a complaint against the brigade commander of the Keur Massar police station for procedural violations during the interrogation of their two clients: the right to be assisted by a lawyer, as well as the searching of phones without consent, and the breach of medical confidentiality with medical records published in the press.

For Mr Abdou Dieng, urgent action is needed: “Leaking information about a person’s serological status is dangerous, as it is confidential, yet it is all over TV programmes and in the press! It is very serious, in truth! ”

Filed on 16 February, the complaint is still under investigation by the Public Prosecutor’s Office at the Dakar Court of Appeal.

For its part, the NGO Amnesty International is also concerned about these mass arrests of suspected homosexuals, which are, for the most part, based on searches of mobile phones.

Loi anti-homosexualité au Sénégal: les violations des droits des prévenus inquiètent avocats et ONG

Au Sénégal, un mois et demi après la promulgation d’une loi qui durcit les peines pour homosexualité, et alors que plus d’une centaine de personnes ont été arrêtés pour « actes contre nature » présumés et certains accusés de transmission volontaire du VIH, des avocats s’inquiètent de cas de violation du droit des prévenus avec des fouilles de téléphone portables non consenties, des procès-verbaux d’interrogatoire qui atterrissent dans la presse et l’absence d’avocat pour un certain nombre de personnes arrêtées.

avec la correspondante RFI à Dakar, Léa-Lisa Westerhoff

Le hall du tribunal de grande instance de Dakar bruisse de monde…

Aucune affaire d’« acte contre nature » n’est jugée ce jour-là, mais maître Kandiak François Senghor veut revenir sur les conditions dans lesquelles l’un de ses clients, arrêté pour homosexualité présumée début février, a été auditionné au commissariat de Keur Massar.

« Le commandant avait confisqué et fouillé son portable sans son consentement. Et… dans son bureau, il l’a contraint à renoncer à son droit à un avocat, ce n’est pas normal ! C’est également lui qui a fait fuiter les éléments de l’enquête dans la presse, c’est choquant ! »Maître Senghor l’assure, cette violation du droit d’être assisté par un avocat est une première depuis 2016 et l’entrée en vigueur du règlement UMOA qui régit la profession d’avocat au Sénégal, mais elle est loin d’être la seule, nous explique Maître Abdou Dieng. « Pour les dossiers qui me concernent d’acte contre nature, on est au moins à 100 personnes arrêtées, et sur ces 100 personnes aucune n’a été assistée par un avocat au moment de l’interrogatoire, ce n’est pas légal ! »

Le 10 février dernier les deux avocats ont donc porté plainte contre le commandant de brigade du commissariat de Keur Massar pour des violations de procédure lors de l’interrogatoire de leurs deux clients : celle d’être assisté par un avocat, mais aussi des fouilles de téléphone sans consentement, ou encore la violation du secret médical avec des statuts médicaux publiés dans la presse.

Pour maître Abdou Dieng il est urgent d’agir : « Distiller des informations sur l’état sérologique d’une personne, c’est quand même dangereux car c’est un secret or c’est partout sur les plateaux de tv et dans la presse ! C’est très grave en vérité ! »

Saisie depuis le 16 février, la plainte est toujours en cours d’instruction devant le parquet général de la cour d’appel de Dakar.

De son côté, l’ONG Amnesty international s’inquiète, elle aussi, de ces arrestations en série d’homosexuels présumés qui reposent, pour la plupart, sur des fouilles de téléphones portables.

African leaders call on Senegal’s President to suspend arrests targeting LGBT+ people in Senegal

Open letter to Bassirou Diomaye Faye

The recent adoption of measures tightening criminal penalties against homosexuals is causing serious concern. A climate of fear, hatred and violence has taken hold in the country. Is this really what ‘left-wing Pan-Africanism’ is all about?

Mr President,

We are writing this letter to you in a spirit of solidarity and dialogue. It is written by women and men of African origin, living both on the continent and in the diaspora, who are deeply committed to the future of Senegal and, beyond that, to the future of the pan-African project.

When you came to power, your election sparked considerable hope, far beyond the borders of Senegal and the continent. Many saw you as the embodiment of political renewal, that of a new generation, championing the values of justice, dignity and sovereignty. You presented yourself as inspired by a ‘left-wing pan-Africanism’, thereby arousing enthusiasm and expectation among those who aspire to a freer, fairer and more united Africa.

Unfortunately, as far as we are concerned, this hope has been overshadowed in recent weeks.

The recent adoption of provisions tightening the criminalisation of homosexuals, along with the resulting social climate, is causing deep concern. The consequences are already visible and dramatic. A young man, perceived as homosexual – rightly or wrongly – was stabbed in the street. Others have been beaten, imprisoned, or rejected by their families and communities. Still others are now seeking to flee their own country, the country they loved. At the same time, people living with HIV, including heterosexuals, no longer dare to go to health centres for testing or treatment, for fear of being stigmatised and arrested – something that has happened on more than one occasion. The organisations that used to support those most at risk can no longer do so. This situation risks exacerbating the spread of the epidemic and increasing morbidity and mortality in Senegal.

A climate of fear, hatred and violence has taken hold in the country. Is this really what ‘left-wing Pan-Africanism’ is all about?

As we understand it, Pan-Africanism is based on the inclusion of all Africans, both on the continent and in the diaspora. It is a project of unity, solidarity and shared dignity. As for left-wing Pan-Africanism, in our view, it aims all the more to emancipate all Africans, not to lock up consenting adults who are harming no one. Moreover, globally, it is rather at the opposite end of the political spectrum—and particularly on the far right—that discriminatory agendas are deployed, whether against Black people, women or homosexuals.

The emancipatory Pan-Africanism that we espouse has been powerfully embodied by major historical figures. Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu, both Nobel Peace Prize laureates, consistently fought against discrimination based on sexual orientation. Jesse Jackson, with his Rainbow Coalition, included gay and lesbian people in his struggle for equality. Angela Davis, for her part, has always championed an intersectional view of these struggles, linking the fights against racism, sexism, capitalism and discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Furthermore, several African countries have recently moved towards greater recognition of rights: Botswana, Mozambique, Gabon and Angola have decriminalised homosexuality in recent years. These choices show that, within Africa itself, there are diverse paths forward, and that no inevitability condemns the continent to repression.

We wish to make this clear: this is not about condemning Senegal, nor about denying its sovereignty, which must be respected. But Senegal is a signatory to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the United Nations Charter, which enshrine, in particular, the right to privacy and the principle of non-discrimination. So why does Senegal refuse to honour its own African and international commitments?

Some claim that homosexuality is alien to Africa. This idea does not stand up to scrutiny. All African historians and ethnologists know this. In many African languages, including Wolof, terms have long existed to describe realities related to homosexuality, proof that it is neither new nor imported. In Senegal, the goorjigeens had a place in society. What will become of them? On the other hand, the laws that repress them are, for the most part, a legacy of colonisation. Whether it be the French-inspired penal codes or the ‘sodomy laws’ introduced by the British Empire during the reign of Queen Victoria, these provisions were imposed from outside. And the foreign forces pushing Senegal to prosecute homosexual and transgender people, and even to ban any calm debate on the issue, are very diverse.

As for the religious argument, it too calls for caution. We believe that some people confuse faith with the law. Faith is a matter of the most fundamental individual freedom and must be respected. But civil law cannot simply be a transposition of religious doctrine. Article 1 of the Constitution proclaims that ‘the Republic of Senegal is secular, democratic and social’. Senegal is a democracy, renowned for its pluralism; it has never been a theocracy based on Sharia law. Such a shift would pose risks not only to sexual minorities, but also to women, non-Muslims, and, more broadly, to all civil liberties.

Senegalese Islam used to be a tolerant form of Islam. Today, is a fundamentalist form of Islam taking hold in the country? Senegal’s image on the international stage is already being affected. Several studies show that discrimination hinders development. Senegal needs all its children.

Today, in certain regions of Africa, we are witnessing the rise of fundamentalist and violent movements across various religious traditions. These movements undermine societies and threaten African unity by spreading ideologies of hatred, division and exclusion.

In the face of this, we feel it is urgent to reaffirm another path: that of dialogue.

We are all part of the same pan-African family. And as in any family, disagreements may arise. But it is through discussion, whether under the baobab tree or elsewhere, that these disagreements can be resolved. It is in this spirit that we write to you today.

We wish to invite the Senegalese authorities to open a respectful and constructive dialogue on these issues. In the meantime, however, we call for a moratorium on arrests and the enforcement of sentences in order to ease tensions and allow for collective reflection. We also hope that the March 2010 law on HIV/AIDS will be respected, particularly Article 12, as testing must be carried out freely and voluntarily, and results must remain confidential.

Mr President, it is our hope that Senegal will continue to be a beacon for Africa, not only through its political stability, but also through its commitment to human dignity.

Please accept, Mr President, the assurance of our highest consideration and our pan-African solidarity.

Signatories:

-Alice Nkom, lawyer, member of the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent

-Doudou Diène, former UN Special Rapporteur on new forms of discrimination

-Victorin Lurel, Senator for Guadeloupe, former minister

-Marcelin Nadeau, Member of Parliament for Martinique

-Olivier Serva, Member of the National Assembly for Guadeloupe

-Annah Bikouloulou, Deputy Mayor of Paris, responsible for equality, human rights and the fight against discrimination

-Nouriati Djambae, Member of the Bouches-du-Rhône Departmental Council

-Jean-Jacob Bicep, former Member of the European Parliament, member of the Human Rights Committee

-Dominique Sopo, President of SOS Racisme

-Achille Mbembé, philosopher

-Jean-Claude Barny, filmmaker

-Eva Doumbia, director, writer

-Brian Scott Eagle, founder of the Josephine Baker Museum,

-Matthieu Niango, essayist, writer

-Brahim Naït-Balk, radio presenter, football coach

-Jo Amaranthe, co-founder of Black Pride

-Fabrice Nguena, human rights defender, author

-Carlos Idibouo, human rights defender

-Félicité Esther Zeifman, barrister at the Paris Bar

-Brice Nzamba, barrister at the Paris Bar

-Nadia Chonville, writer

-Brice Armien Boudré, co-president of Kap Caraïbe

-Jeanne-Marie Rugira, PhD, professor and researcher at UQAR

-David Andrew, writer, poet, human rights defender

-Jérémy Clamy-Edroux, former professional rugby player, engineer and lecturer

-Emma Onekekou, communications specialist, writer

-Agée Lomo, senior lecturer

–Sabine CHYL, human rights activist

-Blaise Ndala, writer, lawyer

Collectif d’universitaires, politiques, écrivains, avocats d’origine africaine

Lettre ouverte à Bassirou Diomaye Faye

L’adoption récente de dispositions renforçant la pénalisation des personnes homosexuelles suscite une vive inquiétude. Un climat de peur, de haine et de violence s’est installé dans le pays. Est-ce vraiment cela, le « panafricanisme de gauche » ?

Monsieur le président,

Nous vous adressons cette lettre dans un esprit de fraternité et de dialogue. Elle est portée par des femmes et des hommes d’origine africaine, vivant sur le continent comme dans la diaspora, et profondément attachés à l’avenir du Sénégal et, au-delà, à celui du projet panafricain.

Lorsque vous êtes arrivé au pouvoir, votre élection a suscité un espoir considérable, bien au-delà des frontières du Sénégal et du continent. Beaucoup ont vu en vous l’incarnation d’un renouveau politique, celui d’une nouvelle génération, porteuse de valeurs de justice, de dignité et de souveraineté. Vous vous êtes présenté comme étant inspiré par un « panafricanisme de gauche », suscitant ainsi enthousiasme et attente parmi celles et ceux qui aspirent à une Afrique plus libre, plus juste et plus unie.

Malheureusement, pour ce qui nous concerne, cet espoir a été assombri ces dernières semaines.

L’adoption récente de dispositions renforçant la pénalisation des personnes homosexuelles, ainsi que le climat social qui en découle, suscitent une vive inquiétude. Les conséquences sont déjà visibles et dramatiques. Un jeune homme, perçu comme homosexuel – à tort ou à raison – a été poignardé en pleine rue. D’autres ont été battus, emprisonnés, ou rejetés par leur famille et leur communauté. D’autres encore cherchent maintenant à fuir leur propre pays, le pays qu’ils aimaient. Dans le même temps, des personnes vivant avec le VIH, y compris hétérosexuelles, n’osent plus se rendre dans les centres de santé pour se faire dépister ou soigner, par peur d’être stigmatisées et arrêtées, ce qui est arrivé plus d’une fois. Les associations qui accompagnaient les personnes les plus exposées ne peuvent plus le faire. Cette situation risque d’aggraver la propagation de l’épidémie et d’accroître la morbidité et mortalité au Sénégal.

Un climat de peur, de haine et de violence s’est installé dans le pays. Est-ce vraiment cela, le « panafricanisme de gauche » ?

Tel que nous le comprenons, le panafricanisme repose sur l’inclusion de tous les Africains, du continent comme de la diaspora. Il s’agit d’un projet d’unité, de solidarité et de dignité partagée. Quant au panafricanisme de gauche, selon nous, il entend a fortiori émanciper tous les Africains, et non enfermer en prison des adultes consentants qui ne nuisent à personne. Au demeurant, dans le monde, c’est plutôt à l’opposé du spectre politique, et notamment à l’extrême-droite, que se déploient les agendas discriminatoires, que ce soit contre les noirs, contre les femmes ou contre les personnes homosexuelles.

Le panafricanisme émancipateur qui est le nôtre a été incarné avec force par des figures historiques majeures. Nelson Mandela et Desmond Tutu, tous deux Prix Nobel de la paix, ont constamment lutté contre les discriminations liées à l’orientation sexuelle. Jesse Jackson, avec sa Rainbow Coalition, avait inclus les personnes gaies et lesbiennes dans son combat pour l’égalité. Angela Davis, quant à elle, a toujours défendu une vision intersectionnelle des luttes, articulant les combats contre le racisme, le sexisme, le capitalisme et les discriminations liées à l’orientation sexuelle.

Par ailleurs, plusieurs pays africains ont récemment évolué dans le sens d’une plus grande reconnaissance des droits : Botswana, Mozambique, Gabon, ou encore Angola ont dépénalisé l’homosexualité ces dernières années. Ces choix montrent qu’il existe, en Afrique même, des trajectoires diverses, et qu’aucune fatalité ne condamne le continent à la répression.

Nous tenons à le dire clairement : il ne s’agit pas ici de condamner le Sénégal, ni de nier sa souveraineté, qui doit être respectée. Mais le Sénégal est signataire de la Charte africaine des droits de l’homme et des peuples et de la Charte des Nations unies, qui consacrent notamment le respect de la vie privée et le principe de non-discrimination. Dès lors, pourquoi le Sénégal refuse-t-il de respecter ses propres engagement africains et internationaux ?

Certains affirment que l’homosexualité serait étrangère à l’Afrique. Cette idée ne résiste pas à l’analyse. Tous les historiens et ethnologues africains le savent. Dans de nombreuses langues africaines, y compris en wolof, des termes existent depuis longtemps pour désigner des réalités liées à l’homosexualité, preuve qu’elle n’est ni nouvelle ni importée. Au Sénégal les goorjigeensavaient une place dans la société. Que vont-ils devenir ? En revanche, les lois qui les répriment sont, pour l’essentiel, héritées de la colonisation. Qu’il s’agisse des codes pénaux d’inspiration française ou des « sodomy laws » introduites par l’Empire britannique à l’époque de la Reine Victoria, ces dispositions ont été imposées de l’extérieur. Et les forces étrangères qui poussent le Sénégal à poursuivre les personnes homosexuelles et transgenre, et même à interdire tout débat serein sur la question, sont très diverses.

Quant à l’argument religieux, il appelle également à la prudence. Nous pensons que certains confondent la foi et la loi. La foi relève de la liberté individuelle la plus fondamentale, et doit être respectée. Mais la loi civile ne saurait être la simple transposition d’une doctrine religieuse. L’article premier de la constitution proclame que « la République du Sénégal est laïque, démocratique et sociale ». Le Sénégal est une démocratie, reconnue pour son pluralisme ; il n’a jamais été une théocratie, fondée sur la charia. Une telle évolution ferait peser des risques non seulement sur les minorités sexuelles, mais aussi sur les femmes, les non-musulmans, et, plus largement, sur toutes les libertés publiques.

L’islam sénégalais était un islam tolérant. Aujourd’hui, est-ce un islam intégriste qui est en train de s’imposer dans le pays ? L’image du Sénégal en est déjà affectée sur la scène internationale. Plusieurs études montrent que les discriminations portent atteinte au développement. Le Sénégal a besoin de tous ses enfants.

Aujourd’hui, dans certaines régions d’Afrique, on observe la montée de courants fondamentalistes et violents, dans différentes traditions religieuses. Ces mouvements fragilisent les sociétés et menacent l’unité africaine en diffusant des idéologies de haine, de division et d’exclusion.

Face à cela, il nous semble urgent de réaffirmer un autre chemin : celui du dialogue.

Nous faisons toutes et tous partie d’une même famille panafricaine. Et comme dans toute famille, des désaccords peuvent exister. Mais c’est par la palabre, sous le baobab ou ailleurs, que ces désaccords peuvent être discutés. C’est dans cet esprit que nous vous écrivons aujourd’hui.

Nous souhaitons inviter les autorités sénégalaises à ouvrir un dialogue respectueux et constructif sur ces questions. Mais en attendant, nous appelons à l’instauration d’un moratoire sur les arrestations et l’application des peines afin d’apaiser les tensions et de permettre une réflexion collective. Nous souhaitons aussi que la loi de mars 2010, relative au VIH-Sida, soit respectée, et notamment son article 12, car les tests doivent être effectués de façon libre et volontaire, et les résultats doivent rester confidentiels.

Monsieur le président, nous formons le vœu que le Sénégal, continue d’être un phare pour l’Afrique, non seulement par sa stabilité politique, mais aussi par son engagement en faveur de la dignité humaine.

Veuillez agréer, Monsieur le président, l’expression de notre haute considération et de notre attachement panafricain.

Signataires :

-Alice Nkom, avocate, membre du Forum Permanent de l’ONU pour les personnes d’ascendance africaine

-Doudou Diène, ancien rapporteur spécial de l’ONU pour les nouvelles formes de discrimination

-Victorin Lurel, sénateur de la Guadeloupe, ancien ministre

-Marcelin Nadeau, député de la Martinique

-Olivier Serva, député de la Guadeloupe

-Annah Bikouloulou, adjointe au maire de Paris, chargée de l’égalité, des droits humains et de la lutte contre les discriminations

-Nouriati Djambae, conseillère départementale des Bouches du Rhône

-Jean-Jacob Bicep, ancien député européen, membre de la commission des droits humains

-Dominique Sopo, président de SOS Racisme

-Achille Mbembé, philosophe

-Jean-Claude Barny, cinéaste

-Eva Doumbia, metteuse en scène, écrivaine

-Brian Scott Eagle, fondateur du musée Joséphine Baker,

-Matthieu Niango, essayiste, écrivain

-Brahim Naït-Balk, animateur radio, entraîneur de football

-Jo Amaranthe, co-fondateur de la Black Pride

-Fabrice Nguena, défenseur des droits humains, auteur

-Carlos Idibouo, défenseur des droits humains

-Félicité Esther Zeifman, avocate au Barreau de Paris

-Brice Nzamba, avocat au Barreau de Paris

-Nadia Chonville, écrivaine

-Brice Armien Boudré, co-président de Kap Caraïbe

-Jeanne-Marie Rugira, Ph.D professeure-chercheure à l’UQAR

-David Andrew, écrivain, poète, défenseur des droits humains

-Jérémy Clamy-Edroux, ex-joueur professionnel de rugby, ingénieur et conférencier

-Emma Onekekou, communicante, écrivaine

-Agée Lomo, maître de conférences

–Sabine CHYL, activiste pour les droits humains

-Blaise Ndala, écrivain, juriste

US: Arkansas’s outdated HIV laws fuel fear and deter people from getting tested and treated

Advocates call on Arkansas lawmakers to decriminalize HIV, fund treatment and prevention

As Arkansas tops another terrible list, this time as the state with the highest rate of HIV transmission, advocates are calling on Arkansas lawmakers to decriminalize the sexually transmitted disease and commit funding for prevention, treatment and education.

A coalition of people from community organizations including Central Arkansas Pride, Arkansas Rapps, Intransitive, Arkansas Black Gay Men’s Forum and Arkansas Queer Men United, along with several people living with undetectable HIV, gathered in the Old Supreme Court Room in the State Capitol before several Democratic state representatives on Monday.

Advocates argued that Arkansas’s HIV laws, which haven’t been updated since the 1980s, are outdated and create a culture of fear that prevents people from getting tested and treated for HIV. They asked lawmakers to commit $1.5 million from the state’s surplus of more than $367 million to HIV prevention, treatment and education.

Under Arkansas law, knowingly exposing another person to HIV is a Class A felony, punishable by up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000. But critics like the Center for HIV Law and Policy say these woefully outdated laws are out of step with modern science, rooted in stigma and punish behavior that carries no or negligible risk of actually transmitting the disease.

With proper treatment, HIV can become undetectable in a person, meaning it can’t be transmitted to another person through sex, but Arkansas law doesn’t account for this.

“HIV criminalization laws like ours here in Arkansas are opposed by public health and national justice experts such as the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers,” said Tian Estell, policy director of Intransitive. “We need to modernize and stop punishing people for having a virus.”

Tian added that “Black, transgender and non-binary individuals in the South are disproportionately impacted by HIV” due to other contributing factors like lack of housing, transportation and employment and limited or no access to healthcare.

“Discriminatory policies also generate and enhance stigma and fear, creating barriers to prevention and care,” Tian said. “Intransitive serves transgender people and migrants, and we’ve seen a rise in fear associated with HIV testing and disclosure of positive status”

HIV is a larger problem in Arkansas than in most states, and advocates argue our laws are only making it worse.

In 2019, the federal Health and Human Services Department started an initiative to end the HIV epidemic by 2030, identifying Arkansas as one of seven priority states where the burden of HIV is the highest.

“Arkansas continues to see new HIV diagnoses each year. In fact, Arkansas ranked number one in the highest increase of new HIV cases, seeing a roughly 67% spike since 2018,” said Raheem White, program director for Arkansas Rapps. “The burden does not fall equally. Black communities tend to carry a higher share of these diagnoses. Central Arkansas and parts of Northwest Arkansas show higher impact, while rural areas face a different challenge with fewer services and longer distances to care.”

Tommy Sproles, a community outreach organizer for Arkansas Rapps, said those numbers may not be representative of the full scope of cases in Arkansas, especially in rural areas.

“It’s a concern of ours that the numbers do not accurately reflect the real life experiences within those other parts of the state, such as the rural areas where we think that the numbers would be higher, but they’re going under-reported because of the lack of testing in those areas,” Sproles said. “As we’re talking about the data that we receive, what we’re basing our stuff on is the data that the Arkansas Department of Health actually receives, but that doesn’t even cover the full scope of everyone who is testing, if you’re not a clinic or a subcontractor for the Arkansas Department of Health, that data is not even being accumulated.”

Arkansas Rapps, for example, uses telehealth to connect people in Arkansas with testing, medication and preventative medicine like PrEP, which is up to 99% effective at preventing the transmission of HIV.

Advocates said criminalizing HIV and not funding its prevention costs Arkansas millions of dollars in both healthcare and incarceration.

“Pulaski County has the highest rate of HIV-criminalization arrests, with most other counties having only one or no arrests. This not only speaks to a disproportionate application of the law, but a significant waste of resources,” said Amber Kincade, a comprehensive prevention specialist with Engaging Arkansas Communities.

“According to data from the Arkansas Department of Corrections, from 2007 to 2023 the average sentence per count for the HIV-related convictions was 24 years. According to the fiscal year 25 Inmate Cost Report, the cost per incarcerated person a day was $74.46, which was a $4.03 increase from 2024. This means that a sentence of 24 years would cost the state roughly $652,272,” Kincade said. “The lifetime cost of treating HIV is estimated to be over $500,000. Therefore, for one case of a person living with HIV receiving such a sentencing, the cost will be over $1 million.”

Kincade added that Texas decriminalized HIV in 1994 and increased public health funding for prevention and testing.

“Texas has saved an estimated $500,000 in lifetime cost per case in HIV treatment,” Kincade said.

Sanjay Johnson, a man living with undetectable HIV, told lawmakers he was prosecuted in Pulaski County for knowingly transmitting HIV, despite the virus being undetectable in his system, in 2017.

“The language itself is damaging, because with that, people think that transmission actually occurred, which in my case was not the case. It never occurred at all,” Johnson said.

Johnson’s case lasted two years, and his lawyer got the charge reduced from a felony to aggravated assault with five years of probation. That’s despite Johnson’s medical records, which said he was undetectable, being shown in court, he said.

“You wonder why HIV is the only STD that someone can be charged for. Not gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, etc, etc. HIV is the only sexually transmitted disease that can be criminalized here,” Johnson said.

Senegal: Arrests threaten Senegal’s HIV response as patients avoid clinics

HIV patients in Senegal skip treatment, fearing arrest amid anti-LGBTQ crackdown

DAKAR, April 29 (Reuters) – Fewer patients are visiting some HIV treatment centres in Senegal amid a wave of arrests targeting LGBTQ people, according to health officials and government data seen by Reuters, threatening the country’s fight against the virus.

Last month, Senegal, where homosexuality is illegal, doubled the maximum prison term for same-sex sexual acts to 10 years and criminalised what it described as any efforts to promote it. The country also ‌increased the maximum fine to 10 million CFA francs ($18,000).

According to local human rights activists and media reports, 86 people have been arrested in a crackdown that began in early February, when President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s government was preparing to introduce the new anti-LGBTQ law in parliament. That includes 18 arrested in a single raid on April 19 in Linguere, 300 km (186 miles) northeast of Dakar.

There have been two convictions under the new law.

Those arrested have been accused of “acts against nature” and, in some cases, deliberately giving HIV to others. The government did not provide the number of arrests.

Data from the Senegalese government’s National Council for the Fight Against AIDS (CNLS), made available to Reuters, suggests that patients are forgoing vital antiretroviral drugs, which both treat and suppress HIV, for fear of arrest or abuse.

A government spokesperson, police spokesperson and a lawmaker who backed the law did not respond ⁠to requests for comment.

In a first, some Senegalese media outlets have put arrested individuals at risk of stigmatisation and abuse by publishing their full names and HIV statuses, said Dr Safiatou Thiam, a former health minister and CNLS executive director.

“We certainly fear, and this has been confirmed, that this wave of arrests will have repercussions for our work,” she said, adding health workers are committed to upholding patient confidentiality and encouraging law enforcement to do the same.

Senegal is one of just four countries in West and Central Africa that has experienced a rise in new HIV infections in recent years, according to UNAIDS.

‘I DON’T DARE LEAVE THE HOUSE’

One queer Senegalese community health worker who previously distributed tests and HIV prevention tools in Dakar is now afraid to go outside.

“I don’t dare leave the house anymore, so I’m literally holed up inside. I double-lock all the doors and windows just to avoid being found,” they said, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.

“I’m afraid there will be more deaths related to HIV… people will be afraid to show or keep their medication. Some won’t even want to continue their treatment for fear of being seen or associated with it.”

Reuters reported last month that Senegalese proponents of the anti-LGBTQ bill discussed strategy with a U.S.-based “pro-family” group that calls homosexuality a public health threat.

PATIENTS CITE FEAR OF ARRESTS, HARASSMENT

CNLS conducted a survey of 22 HIV/AIDS treatment centres over three ‌days at the ⁠end of February, after warning the arrests could lead to a drop in HIV testing and treatment disruptions.

The responses showed that 1,803 patients visited in February, down from 2,425 in January – a drop of 25.6%.

Follow-up interviews by CNLS with more than 50 men who have sex with men (MSM) showed they were avoiding the sites because they feared being denounced, arrested or subject to verbal and physical harassment.

The findings, which have not been published, make clear the drop in patients is linked to the arrests, said Dr. Cheikh Bamba Dieye, head of the research unit at CNLS.

National HIV prevalence is 0.3% in Senegal, far lower than the continent’s worst hit countries, many in southern Africa. But new infections increased by 36% between 2010 and 2024, according to UNAIDS.

If a patient stops ⁠receiving treatment, the virus is more transmissible.

HIV in Senegal is concentrated in so-called key populations like MSM, where the prevalence is 27.6% according to government figures.

The World Health Organization has warned in recent years about re-emerging and new HIV epidemics among MSM and has urged governments to remove punitive laws, reduce discrimination and address homophobic violence.

UNAIDS said in response to Senegal’s new law: “Evidence shows that criminalization causes people to turn away from health services.”

The HIV/AIDS treatment sites surveyed by CNLS serve all HIV patients, but there are indications ⁠that some will be hit harder by treatment disruptions.

In an email dated February 23, the National Alliance Against AIDS (ANCS), an NGO working with key populations, informed partners it was “suspending interventions aimed at the groups most exposed to HIV/AIDS, in particular MSM and transgender people.”

The email, seen by Reuters, attributed the move to “the difficult working environment” created by the arrests.

The new law includes a provision stating that activities carried out by health organizations will not be considered illegal.

While some MSM ⁠have fled to other countries including Mauritania, Gambia and Ivory Coast, others remaining in Senegal have assumed a low profile.

“We’ve seen a lot of people lost to follow-up care in hospitals because they think, ‘as soon as I go to a hospital to pick up my medication, I’ll be labeled a homosexual’,” said the community health worker.

“I’m exhausted, emotionally and physically. It’s draining me, and I expect to be arrested at any moment – for helping my community access healthcare, for creating an organization that works for the well-being of LGBTQ people… and simply because I’m gay.”

Reporting by Robbie Corey-Boulet and Ngouda Dione; Writing by Robbie Corey-Boulet; Editing by Alexandra Hudson

Canada: A new podcast series from the HIV Legal Network on HIV criminalisation and indigenous realities

Not a Crime: Indigenous perspectives on HIV criminalization

Over the coming weeks, the HIV Legal Network will be sharing a series of conversations with people from Indigenous communities on the impact of HIV criminalisation.

In Canada, Indigenous peoples — particularly women and youth — are disproportionately affected by HIV. Although they represent just 5% of the population, they accounted for over 18% of new HIV transmissions in 2020 and 10% of all people living with HIV. At the same time, criminalisation continues to shape lives and outcomes: at least 224 people have been charged for alleged HIV non-disclosure, most often with aggravated sexual assault — one of the most serious offences in Canadian law. Among them are at least 15 Indigenous people, including Indigenous women who are significantly overrepresented among those prosecuted.

In this episode, the HIV Legal Network speaks with Margaret Kisikaw Piyesis, Okimâw (Chief Executive Officer) of CAAN Communities, Alliances & Networks. A leading voice in Indigenous health advocacy, she brings decades of experience working to improve outcomes for Indigenous peoples affected by HIV, combining Cree knowledge systems with community-led health approaches.

🎧 Listen to the conversation and explore how criminalisation intersects with Indigenous health, rights and lived realities.

Learn more about CAAN and the Canadian Coalition to Reform HIV Criminalization.

US: HIV Law reform bill moves forward in Louisiana legislature

Louisiana has one of the harshest HIV exposure laws. Lawmakers advanced a bill to modernize it.

A Louisiana House committee unanimously passed a bill that would increase protections for people living with HIV and align the law with the latest science.

A bill that seeks to tighten and modernize a state law against intentionally exposing another person to HIV is advancing in the Louisiana State Legislature.

The state’s intentional exposure law carries a penalty of up to 11 years in prison for a conviction. Currently, the law prohibits exposure “through any means or contact.” But doctors, public health researchers and advocates for people living with HIV say the broad language allows for people to be prosecuted for contact that can’t transmit the virus, such as biting, spitting or scratching..”

House Bill 808, which cleared the state House Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice on Wednesday (April 8), would maintain much of the existing law, including the penalties, but narrow and define the types of physical contact that could be considered criminal exposure to the virus.

If the bill passes, the law would be amended to prohibit contact that “posed a substantial likelihood of transmission.” That’s defined as contact with blood, semen, or vaginal fluid — the primary vessels for HIV transmission. Typically, HIV is transmitted through sex, sharing needles or from mother to child during pregnancy.

“This bill is about making sure Louisiana’s law is clear, fair, and grounded in current medical science while maintaining strong accountability,” Rep. Wayne McMahen, R-Minden, the bill’s author, told the House Administration of Criminal Justice Committee on Wednesday (April 8).

The bill is the latest effort to update Louisiana’s HIV law and align it with modern science over the past four years. Louisiana is one of a dozen states with laws specific to exposing or transmitting HIV.It’s also among the most punitive. People convicted under the law not only face potential prison time but are required to register as a sex offender for at least 10 years. After a decade, Louisiana allows people to petition to remove their names from the registry.

Public health experts maintain that state laws criminalizing HIV exposure hurt efforts to end the HIV epidemic. The laws further stigmatize and deter people from getting tested and treatment, undermining response to the epidemic, experts say.

Advocates say the broad nature of Louisiana’s current law also creates opportunities for abuse, as the threat of being reported under the law can be used as a coercive tool in relationships. Such threats have kept people in abusive relationships and loomed over child custody battles.

Dietz, the statewide coordinator for the Louisiana Coalition on Criminalization and Health, has helped lead the push to modernize the state’s HIV law.

“ We were asking for far less than we asked for last time,” said Dietz, whose group has put forward modernization bills similar to other states in the past. “ We don’t wanna see more people who are living with HIV severely criminalized for things that we know could never transmit HIV, and we want to protect people.”

In 2024, they worked with Rep. Aimee Freeman on a tabled bill that would have reduced the criminal penalties, added more exceptions and strengthened legal protection for defendants.

House Bill 808 would also explicitly allow people accused under the law to present their medical treatment for HIV as part of their defense.

Modern antiviral medical treatments prescribed to people living with HIV can also reduce the presence of the virus in their blood. With consistent use, the virus can’t be detected in a person’s blood, and therefore can’t be transmitted to anyone else.

The bill received unanimous support from the committee this week, but only after it was amended. The original version of HB 808 would have narrowed the law further to require the accused to have transmitted HIV, rather than simply exposing someone to the virus. The accused would also need to have specifically intended to transmit the virus.

But the Louisiana District Attorneys Association opposed the transmission requirement, McMahen said, so the language requiring intentional transmission was removed.

“At first I was a little disappointed that we went back to exposure,” McMahen said. “Some of the states around us have gone to intent to transmit, but I don’t think that’s where we’re at right now in our state.”

Louisiana District Attorneys Association Executive Director Zach Daniels said his organization was proud to work on updates to the HIV exposure law.

“We believe that this was a narrowly crafted and deliberate change which preserves protections for victims, while also expanding protections for criminal defendants,” Daniels said. “The changes strike a balance between those two interests while updating our language to better include modern medical understandings of HIV.”

Dietz agreed that the amended bill will still offer people living with HIV more protection for their medical condition than they’ve had in the past despite the changes. In the past year, Dietz has met more people living with HIV prosecuted under the law, including someone with HIV who served nine months in prison after giving oral sex. Because the bill does not criminalize sexual contact that carries very low or theoretical risk of transmission, exposure through oral sex would not be considered a crime, Dietz said.

“ HIV could never have been transmitted there,” Dietz said. “So this is a substantive move forward.”

Sweden: People living with HIV will no longer have a duty to disclose their status to partners

People living with HIV may soon no longer have to disclose their status.

This is according to a new legislative proposal set to enter into force on 1 July 2027

“This is truly a long-awaited announcement,” says Felix König, Secretary General of RFSL.

The Government has put forward several proposals to strengthen infection control in Sweden.

Together with Social Affairs Minister Jakob Forssmed, investigator Jan Albert presented new perspectives on the duty to disclose HIV status at a press conference on Thursday morning (2nd April 2026).

“The risk lies with those who do not know they have HIV, not with those who are aware of their diagnosis. The duty to disclose is unique to Sweden and was controversial even when it was introduced 40 years ago.”

“Risks perpetuating stigma”

He believes that the duty to disclose HIV status during sex is not effective and should be abolished, whilst patients continue to be encouraged to be open. The focus should instead be on voluntary disclosure and personalised responsibility through advice and support, according to the proposal.

The proposal means that the duty to inform would be removed in its current form and could only be given as a general guideline – in practice, not in the context of sex.

– There is no longer any reason to retain a system that risks perpetuating stigma and may even hinder diagnosis. The aim of commissioning this inquiry was that the duty to inform should, if possible, be removed, and we now have the evidence to support this. HIV is today a treatable infection and should be managed like any other such condition, says the Minister for Social Affairs.

According to the inquiry, neighbouring countries do not have a duty to inform regarding HIV, yet still have an equally good situation when it comes to domestic transmission.

RFSL: Sweden has faced criticism

Felix König, Secretary General of RFSL, describes the announcement as long-awaited.

– RFSL has been working for over 40 years to reduce the vulnerability of people living with HIV in Sweden.

According to him, current regulations have contributed to discrimination and increased stigma for people living with HIV in Sweden.

– This is also something for which Sweden has faced criticism from UNAIDS and other organisations because we have retained this legislation. What we know is that this legislation contributes to stigma and does not reduce the spread of infection.

He goes on to say that research has progressed to the point where the risk of those being treated for HIV passing the disease on is very small.

– I also believe that we have become a more open society over time, where we can view issues with a little more nuance. Everyone wants us to be able to reduce the spread of HIV, but perhaps we could have discussed a little more how we achieve that. And we believe we do so through support, dialogue and openness – not criminalisation or punishment.

The recording of the press conference is available here

Clarification during Q&A

“The direction of this work is very, very clear… that there are no grounds for maintaining the duty to inform… That is absolutely the ambition.”“Removing the duty to inform does not risk increased transmission… it is not an effective tool to limit transmission.”

Summary

Sweden plans a major reform of its infectious disease law, shifting toward:
voluntary compliance
proportional measures
stronger legal safeguards

HIV-specific change (core point):The legal duty to disclose HIV status before sex will be removedIt may only be used exceptionally as an individual order (“förhållningsregel”)

In practice, it will no longer apply to sexual activity

Rationale: Effective treatment → no transmission risk (U=U)Transmission mainly occurs from undiagnosed individualsThe law is outdated and not evidence-based

It creates stigma and unnecessary intrusion into private life
Sweden is an outlier; neighbouring countries do not have such a law
Policy shift:Move from coercive legal duties → advice, support, and individual responsibility
Align law with modern HIV science and human rights principles

Mexico: Proposal to repeal HIV criminalisation article in the State of Yucatan

Translated with Google translation. Scroll down for original article in Spanish.

Morena’s deputy, Clara Rosales Montiel, presented a reform initiative on public health and human rights, with the aim of eliminating discriminatory provisions and ensuring the comprehensive protection of people living with HIV.

The legislative proposal contemplates the repeal of article 189 of the Criminal Code of the State, so that the crime of “danger of contagion” is no longer considered. It also considers reforms and additions to the Law to Prevent and Eliminate Discrimination, in order to eradicate the criminalization of people living with the virus and strengthen an approach based on dignity, equality and human rights.

During her speech in the Tribune of the Plenary of the State Congress, Congresswoman Clara Rosales stressed that the criminalization of HIV in the Criminal Code responds to an obsolete punitive logic that, far from preventing its transmission, deepens the stigma, discourages the appropriate diagnosis and puts people’s lives at risk.

In that sense, he recalled that Yucatan remains among the entities with the highest incidence of HIV in the country, occupying the third place national, hence the importance of comprehensive care.

The initiative also proposes changes to the Law to Prevent and Eliminate Discrimination, modifying language to ensure respect for privacy, sexual orientation and gender identity of people living with HIV, as well as ensuring dignified treatment in all areas, including work and education.

During the session, the deputy was accompanied by representatives of civil society, activists, specialized organizations and people living with HIV, who supported this proposal from its wording to its presentation in the legislative campus.

Among them, the participation of the S3D A.C. Collective, the Digna Ochoa Research Center of the Human Rights Commission of the State of Yucatan (Codhey), members of the State HIV Committee and Dr. Dulce María Cruz, head of the HIV, AIDS, HCV and other STI Program in the entity.

Finally, Clara Rosales reiterated her commitment to promote reforms that guarantee substantive equality and non-discrimination, pointing out that the objective is to move towards a society where dignity is a daily practice and not an exception.

His initiative was joined by Deputy Julián Bustillos, from Morena; Deputy Itzel Falla, of the National Action Party; Deputy Larissa Acostó, of Citizen Movement; and partyless deputy Rossana Couoh Chan, reflecting plural support in favor of fairer and more inclusive legislation.

La diputada de Morena, Clara Rosales Montiel, presentó una iniciativa de reforma en materia de salud pública y derechos humanos, con el objetivo de eliminar disposiciones discriminatorias y garantizar la protección integral de las personas que viven con VIH.

La propuesta legislativa contempla la derogación del artículo 189 del Código Penal del Estado, para que se deje de considerar el delito de “peligro de contagio”. También considera reformas y adiciones a la Ley para Prevenir y Eliminar la Discriminación, con el fin de erradicar la criminalización de las personas que viven con el virus y fortalecer un enfoque basado en la dignidad, la igualdad y los derechos humanos.

Durante su intervención en la Tribuna del Pleno del Congreso del Estado, la diputada Clara Rosales subrayó que la criminalización del VIH en el Código Penal responde a una lógica punitiva obsoleta que, lejos de prevenir su transmisión, profundiza el estigma, desalienta el diagnóstico oportuno y pone en riesgo la vida de las personas.

En ese sentido, recordó que Yucatán se mantiene entre las entidades con mayor incidencia de VIH en el país, ocupando el tercer lugar nacional, de ahí la importancia de una atención integral.

La iniciativa también propone cambios a la Ley para Prevenir y Eliminar la Discriminación, modificando el lenguaje para garantizar el respeto a la privacidad, la orientación sexual y la identidad de género de las personas que viven con VIH, así como asegurar un trato digno en todos los ámbitos, incluidos el laboral y el educativo.

Durante la sesión, la diputada estuvo acompañada por representantes de la sociedad civil, activistas, organizaciones especializadas y personas que viven con VIH, quienes respaldaron esta propuesta desde su redacción hasta la presentación de la misma en el recinto legislativo.

Entre ellos, destacó la participación del Colectivo S3D A.C., el Centro de Investigación Digna Ochoa de la Comisión de Derechos Humanos del Estado de Yucatán (Codhey), integrantes del Comité Estatal de VIH y la Dra. Dulce María Cruz, responsable del Programa de VIH, Sida, VHC y otras ITS en la entidad.

Finalmente, Clara Rosales reiteró su compromiso de impulsar reformas que garanticen la igualdad sustantiva y la no discriminación, señalando que el objetivo es avanzar hacia una sociedad donde la dignidad sea una práctica cotidiana y no una excepción.

A su iniciativa se adhirieron el diputado Julián Bustillos, de Morena; la diputada Itzel Falla, del Partido Acción Nacional; la diputada Larissa Acostó, de Movimiento Ciudadano; y la diputada sin partido Rossana Couoh Chan, reflejando un respaldo plural en favor de una legislación más justa e incluyente.

New Zealand: New research reveals how HIV criminalisation is experienced in Aotearoa

HIV decriminalisation in Aotearoa: Survey findings

For the first time in Aotearoa New Zealand, we have national evidence on how HIV criminalisation is experienced by people living with HIV.

This research captures the voices of 247 people from diverse communities across the country. It documents how criminal law, public health processes, stigma, and modern HIV science intersect in real life. The project was undertaken collaboratively by Positive Women Inc, Burnett Foundation Aotearoa, Body Positive, and Toitū te Ao, reflecting the shared commitment of all four organisations to amplifying community experiences and informing meaningful change.

The findings highlight the need for greater clarity, alignment with contemporary science, and thoughtful public conversation.

About the research

This study explores:

Awareness and understanding of criminal and public health law
Attitudes toward HIV criminalisation
The lived impact of legal uncertainty
The role of stigma in shaping legal and social outcomes
Recommendations informed by participant experience

Participants represented a wide range of ages, genders, sexualities, ethnicities, migration histories, and lengths of time living with HIV.

This research centers lived experience while grounding analysis in contemporary HIV science, including the evidence behind U=U (Undetectable = Untransmittable).

Key findings

1. Preference for public health management

Most participants would prefer public health manage their HIV transmission rather than the police – because HIV is a health issue, not a crime.

2. Attitudes are nuanced

Participants held diverse and layered views about criminalisation. Support was often linked to cases of intentional harm, while broader criminalisation raised concerns about fairness, stigma, and unintended consequences.

3. Impact extends beyond prosecutions

Even where prosecutions are rare, the possibility of criminalisation shapes behaviour, disclosure practices, relationships, and wellbeing.

4. Stigma remains central

Legal frameworks do not exist in isolation. Participants described how stigma around HIV influences both public perception and perceived legal risk.

Why this matters

Effective HIV responses must reflect:

Modern treatment science
Public health best practice
Human rights principles
The lived experience of people living with HIV

Clear, evidence-informed discussion is essential to ensuring legal and policy settings support – rather than undermine – public health outcomes.

Recommendations

The report identifies areas for consideration, including:

Clearer, accessible legal guidance
Greater alignment between law and contemporary HIV science
Stigma reduction through public education
Meaningful involvement of people living with HIV in future policy conversations

What happens next

Positive Women Inc, Burnett Foundation Aotearoa, Body Positive, and Toitū te Ao will:

Share these findings across health, legal, and policy sectors
Engage stakeholders in informed discussion
Continue centering lived experience in advocacy and education
Support accurate public understanding of HIV and the law

This report is a foundation for evidence-based dialogue in Aotearoa.

For media enquiries, contact Kirk Serpes at kirk.serpes@burnettfoundation.org.nz

Read the full report here

Senegal: Same-sex relations, now punishable by five to ten years in prison

Senegal passes law imposing harsher penalties for homosexuality in the name of combating Western influence

Translated with Deep. Scroll down for article in French.

Homophobia has reached such heights in Senegal that it has become a government priority. According to a bill passed on Wednesday, ‘unnatural acts’ will be punishable by prison terms ranging from five to ten years.

‘This is the first bill I have personally sponsored.’ On 24 February, to the applause of MPs, Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko took pride in personally initiating a bill to toughen penalties for homosexual relations in the country.

This bill was passed on Wednesday 11 March by the Senegalese National Assembly. The most symbolic measure in the new law is that it provides for ‘unnatural acts’ to be punished with five to ten years in prison, compared to one to five years currently. The maximum sentence will be imposed if the act was committed with a minor, according to the text. The law also provides for criminal penalties for the ‘promotion’ of homosexuality in Senegal.

In a country known for its tolerance in many respects, the repression of homosexuality has become a hot topic. The political calculations of the Sonko camp, which came to power in 2024 on a sovereignist platform, are in line with the concerns of a heated public opinion.

‘The Prime Minister is reacting to current events, which is normal,’ notes Thierno Alassane Sall, an opposition MP who did not vote in favour of the law – not out of concern for the rights of homosexuals, he explains, but because he considers the move to be demagogic. The elected representative refers to two group arrests carried out by the authorities in early February, which have been making headlines ever since. Fourteen people suspected of belonging to a paedophile ring with links to France and targeting young boys were arrested on 8 February. Some of the defendants are accused of knowingly transmitting HIV.

‘It’s a race to the bottom.’

A few days earlier, between 4 and 6 February, twelve other Senegalese nationals, including well-known figures such as a singer and a journalist, were arrested and accused of having homosexual relations. The HIV-positive status of some of the defendants was made public. Between the two cases, which are completely unrelated, confusion continues to reign on social media and in certain media outlets.

‘Confusion between paedophilia, homosexuality and the deliberate or accidental transmission of HIV has arisen and caused a great deal of fear and misunderstanding,’ regrets Dr Khoudia Sow, an anthropologist and specialist in the fight against AIDS. Since these two cases, arrests and attacks on people suspected of having homosexual relationships have been occurring at a steady pace. ‘These cases have led to a resurgence of mobilisation against homosexuality,’ acknowledges Thierno Alassane Sall.

Baba Dieng, a columnist in the Senegalese press, is one of the few public figures to be critical of the crackdown on homosexuality. ‘We can no longer discuss the subject calmly. It’s a race to the bottom,’ he laments. According to him, the prime minister is also acting under pressure from conservative lobbies, Jamra and And Samm Jikko Yi, which have been gaining influence since 2010 by making the fight against homosexuality their battle cry.

‘In recent weeks, even these organisations seem to have been overtaken. Online, voices are becoming even more radical. Everyone is putting forward their own proposals for homosexuals: life imprisonment, death, denial of burial…’, Baba Dieng points out.

‘These movements helped Ousmane Sonko and his party, the African Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics and Fraternity [Pastef], win the presidential election in 2024. It makes sense that he would make a gesture towards them,’ says Thierno Alassane Sall.

Playing the sovereignist rhetoric

Ousmane Sonko, who found allies among both progressive and conservative movements when he was in opposition, took advantage of the harsh criticism levelled by Jamra and And Samm Jikko Yi against the former regime of Macky Sall, accused of being lax towards homosexuality.

‘The law criminalising homosexuality will be one of the first I will push through,’ he promised in 2022.

The adoption of new legislation also comes at a complicated time for the government. Senegal is facing a worrying economic situation, with a budget deficit of nearly 14% of gross domestic product (GDP) and public sector debt estimated at 132% of GDP.

Many of the major promises in Pastef’s programme seem distant, such as the abandonment of the CFA franc. Tightening legislation on homosexuality allows the party to appear proactive at little cost, while continuing to play on sovereignist rhetoric.

Many Senegalese people perceive homosexuality as a Western phenomenon. Homophobic movements accuse foreign embassies and international NGOs of wanting to impose laws favourable to homosexuals.

In 2024, Ousmane Sonko himself seemed to make homosexuality a relatively important issue, emphasising that it is ‘not accepted, but tolerated’, but firmly pointing the finger at Western attempts to change Senegalese ways of ‘dealing with this reality’.

Punishing denunciations without proof

In the eyes of many Senegalese, by toughening the law on homosexuality, the Prime Minister, elected on the basis of a patriotic discourse fuelled by anti-colonialism, is standing up to the West and taking on the role of defender of values presented as Senegalese.

‘Ultimately, while homophobia activists in Senegal claim to be motivated by [Muslim] religiosity, the homophobic dynamic is highly political,’ says Baba Dieng.

On 24 February, the Prime Minister nevertheless denounced the public disclosure of people’s HIV status, which has become increasingly common on social media and in certain media outlets. While Jamra leader Mame Mactar Gueye has been threatening for several years to reveal a list of homosexuals he claims to have in his possession, the Prime Minister’s bill also plans to introduce penalties for unsubstantiated denunciations, which are rife on social media.

Ousmane Sonko also took care to emphasise the importance of continuing to allow health organisations to pursue their work against AIDS. ‘The Prime Minister wants to regain control of the issue. The hype is such that, here and there, even Pastef is accused of being close to the gay community,’ says one MP on condition of anonymity. As a result, some find the Prime Minister too timid and regret that his bill does not formally criminalise homosexuality, but merely emphasises its repression.

More than half of African countries prohibit and repress homosexuality. The death penalty is imposed in Uganda, Mauritania and Somalia. A dozen countries and territories impose penalties ranging from ten years’ imprisonment to life imprisonment, including Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania and Sierra Leone.

Le Sénégal adopte une loi réprimant plus sévèrement l’homosexualité au nom de la lutte contre l’influence occidentale

L’homophobie a atteint des sommets au Sénégal, au point de devenir une priorité gouvernementale. Selon un texte adopté mercredi, les « actes contre nature » seront punis de peines allant de cinq à dix ans de prison.

« C’est le premier projet de loi que je porte moi-même. » Le 24 février, sous les applaudissements des députés, le premier ministre sénégalais, Ousmane Sonko, s’enorgueillissait d’être personnellement à l’initiative d’un projet de loi durcissant les peines réprimant les relations homosexuelles dans le pays.

C’est ce texte qui a été adopté, mercredi 11 mars, par l’Assemblée nationale sénégalaise. Mesure la plus emblématique, la nouvelle loi prévoit de punir les « actes contre nature » de cinq à dix ans de prison, contre un à cinq ans actuellement. La peine maximale sera prononcée si l’acte a été commis avec un mineur, selon le texte. La loi prévoit également des sanctions pénales contre la « promotion » de l’homosexualité au Sénégal.

Dans un pays réputé tolérant à beaucoup d’égards, la répression de l’homosexualité s’est imposée comme un thème porteur. Les calculs politiques du camp Sonko, arrivé au pouvoir en 2024 sur un discours souverainiste, rejoignent les préoccupations d’une opinion publique chauffée à blanc.

« Le premier ministre réagit à l’actualité, ce qui est normal », remarque Thierno Alassane Sall, député de l’opposition, qui n’a lui-même pas voté en faveur de la loi – pas par souci de défense des droits des homosexuels, explique-t-il, mais parce qu’il considère que la démarche est démagogique. L’élu fait référence à deux arrestations groupées réalisées par les autorités au début du mois de février, qui défraient depuis la chronique. Quatorze personnes, suspectées d’appartenir à un réseau pédocriminel remontant jusqu’à la France et visant de jeunes garçons, ont été interpellés le 8 février. Certains prévenus sont accusés d’avoir transmis le VIH en connaissance de cause.

« C’est la course à la radicalité »

Quelques jours plus tôt, entre le 4 et le 6 février, douze autres Sénégalais, parmi lesquelles des personnalités, notamment un chanteur et un journaliste, avaient été arrêtées, accusées de leur côté d’avoir eu des relations homosexuelles. La séropositivité de certains des prévenus a été rendue publique. Entre les deux affaires, parfaitement indépendantes l’une de l’autre, l’amalgame est entretenu sur les réseaux sociaux et dans certains médias.

« Une confusion entre pédophilie, homosexualité et transmission volontaire ou involontaire du VIH est apparue et a suscité beaucoup de peur, d’incompréhensions », regrette la docteure et anthropologue Khoudia Sow, spécialiste de la lutte contre le sida. Depuis ces deux affaires, les arrestations, mais aussi les agressions de personnes soupçonnées d’entretenir des relations homosexuelles, s’enchaînent à un rythme soutenu. « Ces affaires ont entraîné un regain de la mobilisation contre l’homosexualité », reconnaît Thierno Alassane Sall.

Baba Dieng, chroniqueur dans la presse sénégalaise, est l’une des rares personnalités à se montrer critiques de la répression de l’homosexualité. « On ne peut plus discuter du sujet de manière apaisée. C’est la course à la radicalité », regrette-t-il. Selon lui, le premier ministre agit aussi sous la pression de lobbys conservateurs, Jamra et And Samm Jikko Yi, qui n’ont cessé de gagner en influence depuis 2010 en faisant de la lutte contre l’homosexualité leur cheval de bataille.

« Depuis quelques semaines, même ces organisations semblent dépassées. En ligne, des voix se font encore plus radicales. Chacun y va de sa proposition pour les homosexuels : enfermer à vie, tuer, priver de sépulture… », souligne Baba Dieng.

« Ces mouvements ont aidé Ousmane Sonko et son parti, les Patriotes africains du Sénégal pour le travail, l’éthique et la fraternité [Pastef], à remporter l’élection présidentielle en 2024. Il est logique qu’il fasse un geste envers eux », souligne Thierno Alassane Sall.

Jouer de la rhétorique souverainiste

Ousmane Sonko, qui a trouvé des alliés tant du côté de mouvements progressistes que conservateurs lorsqu’il était dans l’opposition, a profité des critiques très dures portées par Jamra et And Samm Jikko Yi contre l’ancien régime de Macky Sall, accusé d’être laxiste vis-à-vis de l’homosexualité. « La loi criminalisant l’homosexualité sera l’une des premières que je ferai voter », promettait-il ainsi en 2022.

L’adoption d’une nouvelle législation intervient aussi dans une période compliquée pour le pouvoir. Le Sénégal est confronté à une situation économique préoccupante, avec un déficit budgétaire de près de 14 % du produit intérieur brut (PIB) et une dette du secteur public estimée à 132 % du PIB.

Beaucoup des grandes promesses du programme du Pastef semblent lointaines, à l’instar de l’abandon du franc CFA. Le durcissement de la législation sur l’homosexualité permet au parti de se montrer volontariste à peu de frais, tout en continuant à jouer de la rhétorique souverainiste.

Beaucoup de Sénégalais perçoivent de fait l’homosexualité comme un phénomène occidental. Les mouvements homophobes accusent les ambassades étrangères et les ONG internationales de vouloir imposer des lois favorables aux personnes homosexuelles.

En 2024, Ousmane Sonko lui-même semblait faire de l’homosexualité un sujet d’importance relative, soulignant qu’elle n’est « pas acceptée, mais tolérée », mais pointait fermement du doigt les volontés occidentales de changer les manières sénégalaises de « gérer cette réalité ».

Punir les dénonciations sans preuve

Aux yeux de nombreux Sénégalais, en durcissant la loi sur l’homosexualité, le premier ministre, élu sur la base d’un discours patriotique nourri d’anticolonialisme, tient ainsi tête à l’Occident et endosse un rôle de défenseur de valeurs présentées comme sénégalaises. « Au final, si les militants de l’homophobie au Sénégal se prévalent de religiosité [musulmane], la dynamique homophobe est très politique », analyse Baba Dieng.

Le premier ministre a tout de même dénoncé, le 24 février, les divulgations publiques des statuts sérologiques de personnes, qui se sont multipliées sur les réseaux sociaux et dans certains médias. Alors que le leader de Jamra, Mame Mactar Gueye, menace depuis plusieurs années de dévoiler une liste d’homosexuels qu’il aurait en sa possession, le projet de loi du premier ministre prévoit aussi d’introduire des punitions pour les dénonciations sans preuve, qui vont bon train sur les réseaux sociaux.

Ousmane Sonko a aussi pris soin de souligner l’importance de continuer à permettre aux organisations de santé de poursuivre leur action contre le sida. « Le premier ministre veut reprendre la main sur le sujet. L’emballement est tel que, çà et là, même le Pastef est accusé de proximité avec la communauté gay », glisse un député sous couvert d’anonymat. Résultat : certains trouvent le premier ministre trop timoré et regrettent que son projet de loi ne criminalise pas l’homosexualité formellement, s’en tenant à accentuer sa répression.

Plus de la moitié des pays africains interdisent et répriment l’homosexualité. La peine de mort est encourue en Ouganda, en Mauritanie ou en Somalie. Une dizaine de pays et territoires prévoient des peines allant de dix ans de prison à la perpétuité, parmi lesquels le Soudan, le Kenya, la Tanzanie et la Sierra Leone.