In the months leading up to the fourth Summer Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal has tightened its legal stance on sexual minorities. The government’s latest amendment to the penal code not only raises the maximum sentence for consensual same-sex activity from five to ten years, but also criminalises any public “promotion” or financial support of LGBT organisations. Human Rights Watch (HRW) warns that the new provisions, codified in article 319 have set off a wave of detentions, forced medical examinations and a climate of fear that undermines both domestic law and the Olympic Charter’s anti-discrimination guarantees.
Parliament passed the amendment on 11 March 2026 after high-profile politicians, including President Diomaye Faye and former Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, pledged to make the fight against homosexuality a national priority. The legislation defines offences such as “promotion” or “glorification” of homosexuality in vague terms, allowing security forces to interpret ordinary advocacy as a criminal act. Within weeks, police in cities ranging from Thiès to Ziguinchor raided private homes, seized phones, and arrested men on accusations of “acts against nature” and even alleged “intentional transmission of HIV.” According to HRW’s interview data, at least 212 individuals were detained between February and July, while other monitoring groups estimate the figure exceeds 300.
Arrests, forced HIV testing and public-health fallout
The surge in arrests has been accompanied by a disturbing practice of compulsory HIV testing. Detainees report being subjected to blood draws without informed consent, and the results are then used to layer additional criminal charges or extend pre-trial detention. Health professionals cited by HRW stress that this breaches medical confidentiality and discourages people from seeking voluntary testing and treatment. One doctor from Dakar noted that roughly one-third of patients with HIV have stopped attending clinics out of fear that their status could become evidence in a criminal case. This dynamic not only violates the right to privacy but also jeopardises Senegal’s broader public-health objectives in a country where HIV prevalence remains a critical concern.
Legal representation under threat
Lawyers who attempt to defend those accused under article 319 face social pressure and intimidation. A Dakar-based attorney told HRW that colleagues and even family members urged him to decline representation, arguing that defending “acts against nature” could associate the lawyer with the alleged crime. Such stigma runs counter to Principle 18 of the United Nations Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, which insists that legal practitioners must not be identified with the causes of their clients. The chilling effect has left many detainees without adequate counsel, further eroding the right to a fair trial.
Olympic charter, international law and Senegal’s obligations
Senegal’s role as host of the Youth Olympic Games places it under the Olympic Charter which explicitly prohibits discrimination on any grounds and obliges host nations to safeguard human dignity. HRW argues that the ongoing crackdown violates the charter, as well as the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which guarantees equality before the law and protection from discrimination. The organization has urged President Bassirou Diomaye Faye to refer the amended article to the Constitutional Council, to publicly affirm that participants, visitors and residents will be protected from arbitrary arrest, and to repeal the law entirely. With more than 3,000 athletes expected to converge on Dakar between 31 October and 13 November, the international spotlight will intensify scrutiny of Senegal’s human-rights record.
