A French engineer, approximately thirty years old, has been held in Senegal since his arrest on February 14. He faces accusations including “unnatural acts” and “attempted HIV transmission.” This detention occurs amidst Senegal’s recently toughened penalties for homosexual relations.
A French citizen has been in detention in Senegal since February 14, primarily on charges of “unnatural acts.” This development comes as Senegal has recently increased the severity of penalties for homosexual relations.
The French national was apprehended on February 14, 2026, during a series of arrests. The charges include “unnatural acts,” criminal association, money laundering, and attempted HIV transmission. He is identified as an engineer in his thirties, residing in Dakar.
The French embassy in Dakar is closely monitoring the situation of their citizen. Our consulate has conducted four visits to provide consular protection and maintains close contact with his family, a practice also upheld by the Quai d’Orsay services in Paris.
Wave of arrests targeting alleged homosexuality
Senegal, a nation with a Muslim majority, enacted a new law in early March that imposes prison sentences ranging from five to ten years for homosexual relations. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye formally promulgated this legislation on March 31.
This legislative action unfolds against a backdrop of increasing homophobia and a series of arrests targeting individuals for alleged homosexuality. In Senegal, same-sex relationships are widely viewed as a deviance, and the intensified repression of these acts has been a consistent and politically significant pledge from the ruling party.
France reiterates its steadfast commitment to the universal and indivisible respect for human rights, alongside its dedication to the global decriminalization of homosexuality, the protection of LGBT+ individuals’ rights, and the fight against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
