Senegal tightens anti-lgbt laws as France voices concern over human rights

Tensions are rising between Dakar and Paris after Senegal passed a stricter law targeting same-sex relationships and detained a French national in early 2026. The legislative shift and legal proceedings have sparked intense debates over human rights, state sovereignty, and diplomatic relations between the two nations.

The Senegalese National Assembly approved the controversial law on March 11, 2026, introducing harsher penalties for homosexuality. Authorities defend the reform as an alignment with the country’s deeply rooted sociocultural values, deepening an already restrictive legal framework. While the move has drawn condemnation from international observers, it reflects a broader trend in Africa where legal protections for LGBT+ individuals remain limited.

On February 14, 2026, a French engineer in his thirties was arrested in Dakar and charged with multiple offenses, including