Senegal: 24-year-old jailed for 6 years under new anti-gay laws.
A consensual man-on-man encounter can land you in prison for up to 10 years.
It was only a matter of weeks ago that the President of Senegal granted assent to new legislation passed by the country's parliament - implementing harsher laws that doubled the penalties for gay sex.
The new laws increased the maximum penalty that could be imposed for a consensual man-on-man sexual encounter - setting a maximum of 10 years.
The new laws also criminalise the "promotion" of same-sex relationships.
Now, local media outlets are reporting that convictions are already being made under the new laws and harsher penalties being handed out to men who have sex with men.
According to Senenews, Mbaye Diouf - a 24-year-old labourer in Dakar - has been sentenced to six years in prison and fined the equivalent of USD$3,570.
According to reports, Diouf was detained by police on 2 April.
It seems that Diouf was with another men in a park near a sports arena in Dakar - probably a local cruising ground. A witness filmed Diouf and the other man before making something of a citizen's arrest, vigilante style.
The man that Diouf was with managed to escape but Diouf was taken to a police station where he was arrested.
Under questioning, Diouf named the man he was with, and admitted that they were having sex. Diouf told police that the other man had paid him the equivalent of USD$3.50 to have sex with him.
Ten days later, Diouf was convicted of public indecency and committing “unnatural acts” - sentenced to six years in prison and an enormous fine that it seems unlikely that he will ever be able to pay.
The heightened homophobia in Senegal is being driven by right-wing religious leaders, with reports of US-based evangelical churches supporting the push for anti-gay laws.
The consequence of the homophobia driven by evangelical churches is that young men like Mbaye Diouf end up in prison with their lives in tatters.
What's life like for LGBTQ people in Senegal?
What's life like for LGBTQ people in Senegal? Let's take a look at some of the key equality indicators.
Is homosexuality legal in Senegal?
No. Same-sex sexual activity is illegal. It can be punished by imprisonment of up to ten years.
Are there anti-discrimination protections in place for LGBTQ people in Senegal?
No. There are no protections against discrimination on the grounds of sexuality.
Is there Marriage Equality in Senegal?
No. There is no legal recognition of same-sex relationships.
What’s life like for LGBTQ people in Senegal?
Senegal is a socially conservative country. Homophobia is systemic.
LGBTQ people conceal their sexuality.
There are numerous examples of LGBTQ people being persecuted and harassed.
