Anti-gay police crackdown expands in Senegal
Five men arrested on homosexuality charges as they prepare for a fashion show.
The West African nation of Senegal is continuing a police crackdown on gay citizens.
In the latest incident, reported in Senenews, police in the city of Thiès, just outside the capital city of Dakar, arrested five men Sunday on homosexuality charges.
Earlier this month, 15 men were arrested on suspicion of homosexual activity in the Diourbel region of central Senegal, east of Dakar.
Six of them have been convicted and sentenced to two years in prison for indecent acts, criminal conspiracy and dissemination of images contrary to public decency.
In Senegal, “unnatural acts,” meaning gay sex, are punishable by up to five years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to 1,500,000 CFA francs (approximately U.S. $2,700).
A translated and edited version of the Senenews news article is below:
Thiès: Five gay men arrested in an apartment, one of the accused reveals his HIV-positive status
On Dec. 21, Thiès police arrested five individuals in an apartment in the Escale neighborhood, following a report of homosexual activity.
The suspects, primarily from the fashion and media industries, are: O. Guèye (tailor and host), A. Thiam (stylist), N. Seck (photographer), D. Sarr (tailor), and P. M. Faye from the newspaper Libération. The newspaper said that, with the exception of the host, Guèye, who lived in Thiès, all the men were passing through the city, which is a railway hub.
The police operation resulted in the seizure of lubricants and pills. When questioned, the defendants confessed, explaining that the gathering was the result of an invitation from O. Guèye to prepare for a fashion show at a well-known restaurant in the city, Libération stated.
Defendant Sarr told police that he is HIV-positive. According to Libération, he admitted to never having informed his partners of his medical status before the arrests.
