WORLD NEWS: Senegal becomes one of the most repressive countries towards homosexuals, the UN is alarmed
Sources confirm that the following story has emerged from the international scene.
Amid rising homophobia, the law criminalizes consensual same-sex relations with harsh penalties, prompting global concern.
Senegal’s National Assembly voted on Wednesday to pass a law that significantly increases penalties for homosexual relations, heightening fears of growing homophobia and repression in the country. Under the new legislation, homosexual acts can now carry sentences of five to ten years in prison, with the maximum penalty applied if the act involves a minor.
A Step Backwards for LGBT+ Rights
The law also criminalizes the promotion or support of homosexuality, bisexuality, and transsexuality, marking a sharp escalation in Senegal’s already strict stance on LGBT+ issues. Once promulgated by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, Senegal will become one of the most repressive countries in Africa against LGBT+ individuals.
The move comes amid rising tension in the country, with recent weeks witnessing a surge in arrests related to alleged homosexuality. Many of those detained are accused of transmitting HIV intentionally, further fueling hostile debates around LGBT+ rights in the country.
“The adoption by the Senegalese parliament of a new law which doubles to 10 years the maximum prison sentence for consensual homosexual relations… is deeply worrying,” said Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. “This law tramples the sacrosanct human rights that we all enjoy: the rights to respect, dignity, privacy, equality and the freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly.”
International Condemnation
The law has drawn widespread criticism from human rights organizations, with the UN High Commissioner urging President Faye not to promulgate the legislation. Volker Türk called on the Senegalese authorities to repeal the law, citing its violation of international human rights principles to which Senegal is a signatory.
Despite this international pressure, the law’s passage indicates a significant setback for the LGBT+ community in Senegal and highlights the country’s increasing resistance to LGBT+ rights. As homophobia grows stronger, the law signals an uncertain future for Senegal’s LGBT+ population, who now face even greater legal and social challenges.
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Source: This article was originally published in another language by 20Minutes – Actu Monde and has been translated and adapted for our global English-speaking audience. Read the original article here.