Trending Now - Senegal's First Conviction Under Harsh Anti-homosexuality Law

WHO:

ABC News - A 24-year-old laborer was convicted.

ABC News - Human Rights Watch researcher Larissa Kojoué commented on the law's impact.

WHAT:

ABC News - A court in Senegal sentenced the laborer to six years in prison and fined him 2 million CFA (approximately $3,300) for “acts against nature and public indecency.”

ABC News - The new law increases prison sentences for homosexuality to between five and 10 years.

ABC News - The law also punishes the "promotion" or "financing" of homosexuality.

WHERE:

ABC News - The conviction occurred in a court in Pikine-Guédiawaye, a suburb of Dakar, Senegal.

ABC News - Senegal is described as a largely Muslim nation.

WHEN:

ABC News - The conviction was issued on Friday, April 10th, 2026.

ABC News - The laborer was arrested earlier in April 2026.

WHY:

ABC News - The law aims to crack down on groups that support sexual and gender minorities, creating a climate of “constant fear” according to Larissa Kojoué.

HOW:

ABC News - The law has led to more aggressive arrests, as there is now backing from the state apparatus.

(UPDATED April 13, 2026 23:16 UTC)

A court in Pikine-Guédiawaye, a suburb of Dakar, Senegal, sentenced a 24-year-old laborer to six years in prison and fined him 2 million CFA, roughly $3,300, for “acts against nature and public indecency” on Friday. This conviction comes in the wake of a new law that increases prison sentences for homosexuality to between five and ten years and also penalizes the promotion or financing of homosexuality, creating a climate of “constant fear,” according to Human Rights Watch researcher Larissa Kojoué. The law has led to more aggressive arrests, supported by the state apparatus, as it aims to crack down on groups that advocate for sexual and gender minorities.