US: Arkansas’s outdated HIV laws fuel fear and deter people from getting tested and treated

Advocates call on Arkansas lawmakers to decriminalize HIV, fund treatment and prevention

As Arkansas tops another terrible list, this time as the state with the highest rate of HIV transmission, advocates are calling on Arkansas lawmakers to decriminalize the sexually transmitted disease and commit funding for prevention, treatment and education.

A coalition of people from community organizations including Central Arkansas Pride, Arkansas Rapps, Intransitive, Arkansas Black Gay Men’s Forum and Arkansas Queer Men United, along with several people living with undetectable HIV, gathered in the Old Supreme Court Room in the State Capitol before several Democratic state representatives on Monday.

Advocates argued that Arkansas’s HIV laws, which haven’t been updated since the 1980s, are outdated and create a culture of fear that prevents people from getting tested and treated for HIV. They asked lawmakers to commit $1.5 million from the state’s surplus of more than $367 million to HIV prevention, treatment and education.

Under Arkansas law, knowingly exposing another person to HIV is a Class A felony, punishable by up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000. But critics like the Center for HIV Law and Policy say these woefully outdated laws are out of step with modern science, rooted in stigma and punish behavior that carries no or negligible risk of actually transmitting the disease.

With proper treatment, HIV can become undetectable in a person, meaning it can’t be transmitted to another person through sex, but Arkansas law doesn’t account for this.

“HIV criminalization laws like ours here in Arkansas are opposed by public health and national justice experts such as the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers,” said Tian Estell, policy director of Intransitive. “We need to modernize and stop punishing people for having a virus.”

Tian added that “Black, transgender and non-binary individuals in the South are disproportionately impacted by HIV” due to other contributing factors like lack of housing, transportation and employment and limited or no access to healthcare.

“Discriminatory policies also generate and enhance stigma and fear, creating barriers to prevention and care,” Tian said. “Intransitive serves transgender people and migrants, and we’ve seen a rise in fear associated with HIV testing and disclosure of positive status”

HIV is a larger problem in Arkansas than in most states, and advocates argue our laws are only making it worse.

In 2019, the federal Health and Human Services Department started an initiative to end the HIV epidemic by 2030, identifying Arkansas as one of seven priority states where the burden of HIV is the highest.

“Arkansas continues to see new HIV diagnoses each year. In fact, Arkansas ranked number one in the highest increase of new HIV cases, seeing a roughly 67% spike since 2018,” said Raheem White, program director for Arkansas Rapps. “The burden does not fall equally. Black communities tend to carry a higher share of these diagnoses. Central Arkansas and parts of Northwest Arkansas show higher impact, while rural areas face a different challenge with fewer services and longer distances to care.”

Tommy Sproles, a community outreach organizer for Arkansas Rapps, said those numbers may not be representative of the full scope of cases in Arkansas, especially in rural areas.

“It’s a concern of ours that the numbers do not accurately reflect the real life experiences within those other parts of the state, such as the rural areas where we think that the numbers would be higher, but they’re going under-reported because of the lack of testing in those areas,” Sproles said. “As we’re talking about the data that we receive, what we’re basing our stuff on is the data that the Arkansas Department of Health actually receives, but that doesn’t even cover the full scope of everyone who is testing, if you’re not a clinic or a subcontractor for the Arkansas Department of Health, that data is not even being accumulated.”

Arkansas Rapps, for example, uses telehealth to connect people in Arkansas with testing, medication and preventative medicine like PrEP, which is up to 99% effective at preventing the transmission of HIV.

Advocates said criminalizing HIV and not funding its prevention costs Arkansas millions of dollars in both healthcare and incarceration.

“Pulaski County has the highest rate of HIV-criminalization arrests, with most other counties having only one or no arrests. This not only speaks to a disproportionate application of the law, but a significant waste of resources,” said Amber Kincade, a comprehensive prevention specialist with Engaging Arkansas Communities.

“According to data from the Arkansas Department of Corrections, from 2007 to 2023 the average sentence per count for the HIV-related convictions was 24 years. According to the fiscal year 25 Inmate Cost Report, the cost per incarcerated person a day was $74.46, which was a $4.03 increase from 2024. This means that a sentence of 24 years would cost the state roughly $652,272,” Kincade said. “The lifetime cost of treating HIV is estimated to be over $500,000. Therefore, for one case of a person living with HIV receiving such a sentencing, the cost will be over $1 million.”

Kincade added that Texas decriminalized HIV in 1994 and increased public health funding for prevention and testing.

“Texas has saved an estimated $500,000 in lifetime cost per case in HIV treatment,” Kincade said.

Sanjay Johnson, a man living with undetectable HIV, told lawmakers he was prosecuted in Pulaski County for knowingly transmitting HIV, despite the virus being undetectable in his system, in 2017.

“The language itself is damaging, because with that, people think that transmission actually occurred, which in my case was not the case. It never occurred at all,” Johnson said.

Johnson’s case lasted two years, and his lawyer got the charge reduced from a felony to aggravated assault with five years of probation. That’s despite Johnson’s medical records, which said he was undetectable, being shown in court, he said.

“You wonder why HIV is the only STD that someone can be charged for. Not gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, etc, etc. HIV is the only sexually transmitted disease that can be criminalized here,” Johnson said.

Senegal: Arrests threaten Senegal’s HIV response as patients avoid clinics

HIV patients in Senegal skip treatment, fearing arrest amid anti-LGBTQ crackdown

DAKAR, April 29 (Reuters) – Fewer patients are visiting some HIV treatment centres in Senegal amid a wave of arrests targeting LGBTQ people, according to health officials and government data seen by Reuters, threatening the country’s fight against the virus.

Last month, Senegal, where homosexuality is illegal, doubled the maximum prison term for same-sex sexual acts to 10 years and criminalised what it described as any efforts to promote it. The country also ‌increased the maximum fine to 10 million CFA francs ($18,000).

According to local human rights activists and media reports, 86 people have been arrested in a crackdown that began in early February, when President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s government was preparing to introduce the new anti-LGBTQ law in parliament. That includes 18 arrested in a single raid on April 19 in Linguere, 300 km (186 miles) northeast of Dakar.

There have been two convictions under the new law.

Those arrested have been accused of “acts against nature” and, in some cases, deliberately giving HIV to others. The government did not provide the number of arrests.

Data from the Senegalese government’s National Council for the Fight Against AIDS (CNLS), made available to Reuters, suggests that patients are forgoing vital antiretroviral drugs, which both treat and suppress HIV, for fear of arrest or abuse.

A government spokesperson, police spokesperson and a lawmaker who backed the law did not respond ⁠to requests for comment.

In a first, some Senegalese media outlets have put arrested individuals at risk of stigmatisation and abuse by publishing their full names and HIV statuses, said Dr Safiatou Thiam, a former health minister and CNLS executive director.

“We certainly fear, and this has been confirmed, that this wave of arrests will have repercussions for our work,” she said, adding health workers are committed to upholding patient confidentiality and encouraging law enforcement to do the same.

Senegal is one of just four countries in West and Central Africa that has experienced a rise in new HIV infections in recent years, according to UNAIDS.

‘I DON’T DARE LEAVE THE HOUSE’

One queer Senegalese community health worker who previously distributed tests and HIV prevention tools in Dakar is now afraid to go outside.

“I don’t dare leave the house anymore, so I’m literally holed up inside. I double-lock all the doors and windows just to avoid being found,” they said, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.

“I’m afraid there will be more deaths related to HIV… people will be afraid to show or keep their medication. Some won’t even want to continue their treatment for fear of being seen or associated with it.”

Reuters reported last month that Senegalese proponents of the anti-LGBTQ bill discussed strategy with a U.S.-based “pro-family” group that calls homosexuality a public health threat.

PATIENTS CITE FEAR OF ARRESTS, HARASSMENT

CNLS conducted a survey of 22 HIV/AIDS treatment centres over three ‌days at the ⁠end of February, after warning the arrests could lead to a drop in HIV testing and treatment disruptions.

The responses showed that 1,803 patients visited in February, down from 2,425 in January – a drop of 25.6%.

Follow-up interviews by CNLS with more than 50 men who have sex with men (MSM) showed they were avoiding the sites because they feared being denounced, arrested or subject to verbal and physical harassment.

The findings, which have not been published, make clear the drop in patients is linked to the arrests, said Dr. Cheikh Bamba Dieye, head of the research unit at CNLS.

National HIV prevalence is 0.3% in Senegal, far lower than the continent’s worst hit countries, many in southern Africa. But new infections increased by 36% between 2010 and 2024, according to UNAIDS.

If a patient stops ⁠receiving treatment, the virus is more transmissible.

HIV in Senegal is concentrated in so-called key populations like MSM, where the prevalence is 27.6% according to government figures.

The World Health Organization has warned in recent years about re-emerging and new HIV epidemics among MSM and has urged governments to remove punitive laws, reduce discrimination and address homophobic violence.

UNAIDS said in response to Senegal’s new law: “Evidence shows that criminalization causes people to turn away from health services.”

The HIV/AIDS treatment sites surveyed by CNLS serve all HIV patients, but there are indications ⁠that some will be hit harder by treatment disruptions.

In an email dated February 23, the National Alliance Against AIDS (ANCS), an NGO working with key populations, informed partners it was “suspending interventions aimed at the groups most exposed to HIV/AIDS, in particular MSM and transgender people.”

The email, seen by Reuters, attributed the move to “the difficult working environment” created by the arrests.

The new law includes a provision stating that activities carried out by health organizations will not be considered illegal.

While some MSM ⁠have fled to other countries including Mauritania, Gambia and Ivory Coast, others remaining in Senegal have assumed a low profile.

“We’ve seen a lot of people lost to follow-up care in hospitals because they think, ‘as soon as I go to a hospital to pick up my medication, I’ll be labeled a homosexual’,” said the community health worker.

“I’m exhausted, emotionally and physically. It’s draining me, and I expect to be arrested at any moment – for helping my community access healthcare, for creating an organization that works for the well-being of LGBTQ people… and simply because I’m gay.”

Reporting by Robbie Corey-Boulet and Ngouda Dione; Writing by Robbie Corey-Boulet; Editing by Alexandra Hudson

Senegal: CCM Senegal condemns disclosure of HIV test results

Disclosure of HIV test results: The president of the CCM Senegal denounces a violation of the law

The president of the CCM Senegal (national coordination body of Senegal), Aïssatou Mbaye Ndiaye, spoke on the management of HIV and the recent controversy related to the disclosure of test results of people arrested in the homosexual case that is shaking the country.

In her statement, she first wanted to recall Senegal’s resilience in the face of health challenges. According to her, HIV cases associated with the phenomenon of homosexuality are an unexpected situation, but it should not obscure the overall reality of the fight against the disease. “HIV is a community health problem that encompasses several factors. This is just one point among many others, “she stressed, insisting on the existence of national strategies already put in place to contain the spread of the virus.

Addressing the sensitive issue of the disclosure of HIV test results, Aïssatou Mbaye Ndiaye was firm. She denounced a practice that she considers contrary to the law and fundamental principles of medicine. “Since the onset of HIV/AIDS, confidentiality has always been an absolute rule. The test and its results are medical confidentiality, “she recalled.

She specified that the legislation in force strictly protects the people concerned. “Any disclosure not authorized by the patient may be subject to legal proceedings. Even within the family circle, including between spouses, the result of a test cannot be communicated without the consent of the person concerned, “she said.

The president of the CCM Senegal thus wonders about the motivations that led to making certain results public, believing that this violates the fundamental rights of individuals.

In addition, Aissatou Mbaye Ndiaye mentioned the holding of a national workshop as part of the Dialogue Pays 2026. This initiative aims to consolidate, harmonize and validate the priorities identified throughout the territory since the beginning of April. According to her, the consultations made it possible to collect the concerns of communities and civil society regarding several major issues, including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and climate-health interactions.

The objective of this workshop is to establish a clear list of priorities that will serve as a basis for future funding requests and improved support policies.

Sweden: People living with HIV will no longer have a duty to disclose their status to partners

People living with HIV may soon no longer have to disclose their status.

This is according to a new legislative proposal set to enter into force on 1 July 2027

“This is truly a long-awaited announcement,” says Felix König, Secretary General of RFSL.

The Government has put forward several proposals to strengthen infection control in Sweden.

Together with Social Affairs Minister Jakob Forssmed, investigator Jan Albert presented new perspectives on the duty to disclose HIV status at a press conference on Thursday morning (2nd April 2026).

“The risk lies with those who do not know they have HIV, not with those who are aware of their diagnosis. The duty to disclose is unique to Sweden and was controversial even when it was introduced 40 years ago.”

“Risks perpetuating stigma”

He believes that the duty to disclose HIV status during sex is not effective and should be abolished, whilst patients continue to be encouraged to be open. The focus should instead be on voluntary disclosure and personalised responsibility through advice and support, according to the proposal.

The proposal means that the duty to inform would be removed in its current form and could only be given as a general guideline – in practice, not in the context of sex.

– There is no longer any reason to retain a system that risks perpetuating stigma and may even hinder diagnosis. The aim of commissioning this inquiry was that the duty to inform should, if possible, be removed, and we now have the evidence to support this. HIV is today a treatable infection and should be managed like any other such condition, says the Minister for Social Affairs.

According to the inquiry, neighbouring countries do not have a duty to inform regarding HIV, yet still have an equally good situation when it comes to domestic transmission.

RFSL: Sweden has faced criticism

Felix König, Secretary General of RFSL, describes the announcement as long-awaited.

– RFSL has been working for over 40 years to reduce the vulnerability of people living with HIV in Sweden.

According to him, current regulations have contributed to discrimination and increased stigma for people living with HIV in Sweden.

– This is also something for which Sweden has faced criticism from UNAIDS and other organisations because we have retained this legislation. What we know is that this legislation contributes to stigma and does not reduce the spread of infection.

He goes on to say that research has progressed to the point where the risk of those being treated for HIV passing the disease on is very small.

– I also believe that we have become a more open society over time, where we can view issues with a little more nuance. Everyone wants us to be able to reduce the spread of HIV, but perhaps we could have discussed a little more how we achieve that. And we believe we do so through support, dialogue and openness – not criminalisation or punishment.

The recording of the press conference is available here

Clarification during Q&A

“The direction of this work is very, very clear… that there are no grounds for maintaining the duty to inform… That is absolutely the ambition.”“Removing the duty to inform does not risk increased transmission… it is not an effective tool to limit transmission.”

Summary

Sweden plans a major reform of its infectious disease law, shifting toward:
voluntary compliance
proportional measures
stronger legal safeguards

HIV-specific change (core point):The legal duty to disclose HIV status before sex will be removedIt may only be used exceptionally as an individual order (“förhållningsregel”)

In practice, it will no longer apply to sexual activity

Rationale: Effective treatment → no transmission risk (U=U)Transmission mainly occurs from undiagnosed individualsThe law is outdated and not evidence-based

It creates stigma and unnecessary intrusion into private life
Sweden is an outlier; neighbouring countries do not have such a law
Policy shift:Move from coercive legal duties → advice, support, and individual responsibility
Align law with modern HIV science and human rights principles

Senegal: Anti-LGBT crackdown threatens hard-won gains against HIV

Article translated from French with Deepl.com

The West African country, which has been swept up in a wave of homophobia following two criminal cases in early February, has just adopted draconian anti-LGBT laws. An oppressive atmosphere that threatens the fight against HIV.

“We can’t eat or sleep; we’re stressed, we’re exhausted. I stay at home, I shut myself away. I switch off the television, my phone, everything,” explains Momo*, a young man whose life has become a living hell in Dakar, the capital of Senegal. On Wednesday 11 March, parliament passed a law tightening penalties against homosexuals and any organisations supporting them. The measure raises fears of a setback in the fight against HIV in this country of 34 million people, where the disease spreads mainly within this community.

The law was passed unanimously – only three MPs abstained – and was accompanied by inflammatory speeches from elected representatives. “I am speaking to the international community. Homosexuals will no longer be able to breathe in this country. Homosexuals will no longer have freedom of expression in this country,” insisted MP Diaraye Bâ.

The maximum prison sentence for “unnatural acts” has been increased from five to ten years, and the fine can now reach 10 million CFA francs (the equivalent of 13,800 Swiss francs). The bill goes further and creates two new offences: advocating for, and funding, entities and activities aimed at promoting or glorifying homosexuality, bisexuality and transsexuality. The UN has strongly condemned the new law, and Amnesty International believes the existing penalties were sufficient, says the director of the local branch, Seydi Gassama: “Five years in Senegalese prisons is an extremely harsh sentence.”

A climate of persecution and denunciation

While the law is cause for concern, the wave of homophobia had already begun in early February when two criminal cases shocked public opinion in this country, 80% of whose population is Muslim. Twelve homosexuals were arrested for unnatural acts and criminal conspiracy, including several celebrities and, notably, the television presenter Pape Cheikh Diallo. From messages to photos, investigators are tracking down gay men in the ‘network’. For weeks, arrests have been mounting – now numbering around forty – and making the headlines, sometimes with the suspects’ names and HIV status. The police have claimed that several allegedly knowingly transmitted HIV. “The police don’t know what they’re doing. The person accused of deliberate transmission might have an undetectable viral load, so they can’t transmit HIV,” protests Momo, who points out that medical confidentiality and the secrecy of the investigation have been flouted here.

The Pierre Robert case, which broke at the same time, has further fuelled public hatred. The Frenchman is alleged to have recruited Senegalese gay men to initiate vulnerable young boys into sex, film them and force them into prostitution, with a stated intention of transmitting HIV. Fourteen people have been arrested between Dakar and Kaolack. And for Seydi Gassama, the conflation is inevitable: “In the eyes of public opinion, you cannot separate these situations: unnatural acts, paedophilia, and the deliberate transmission of HIV/AIDS.”

Consequently, gay men are going into hiding or fleeing to Gambia and Mauritania to escape what some describe as the worst homophobic crisis the country has ever experienced. Papi* is not gay, but he works regularly with them through the HIV testing and support association he set up in a provincial town in central Senegal, and for this he has received threats. He has moved away because he fears for his life.

Avoiding any association with homosexuality

“For all the HIV-positive people who were taking medication, lives are now being lost; they no longer even agree to come and collect it,” he confides. Some patients even return their boxes, for fear of being identified as homosexual. The threat to the fight against HIV is real, even though Senegal is seen as a model on the continent, with prevalence reduced to 0.3% of the population. The number of deaths has been falling steadily over the last twenty years, but new infections rose during the Covid pandemic, reaching 2,979 people in 2024.

Footfall at HIV-dedicated centres has fallen, but testing has increased as many internet users post their serological results online. In this climate of stigmatisation, lists of suspected homosexuals and presidents of HIV-related associations have been shared, notably by the Islamic NGO Jamra, which provided 600 names to the gendarmerie. Online influencers, such as Idy Missionnaire, go so far as to publish people’s phone numbers, addresses and photos. “A friend of mine who is president of an association in Saint-Louis saw the gendarmerie turn up at his home to arrest him, but he fled to Mauritania,” says Papi. “I’m not going to wait for the police to come and get me. They’re hunting us down one by one.” Many organisations have shut down their websites and telephone lines, with patients becoming threatening in their demands to be removed from the registers.

The public outcry is even worrying the government, and Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has warned against the publication of serological status in the press. Seydi Gassama, who has also been targeted by an online smear campaign, nevertheless welcomes a clause in the law introducing the offence of slanderous denunciation, now punishable by two to three years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to 500,000 CFA francs (690 francs).

«Ils sont en train de nous traquer un à un»: au Sénégal, vivre caché après le durcissement de la loi anti-homosexuels

Le pays d’Afrique de l’Ouest, entré dans une vague homophobe après deux affaires criminelles début février, vient d’adopter des lois anti-LGBT draconiennes. Une atmosphère oppressive qui menace la lutte contre le VIH.

«On ne parvient pas à manger ou à dormir, on est stressés, on est fatigués. Moi, je reste à la maison, je m’enferme. J’éteins la télévision, mon téléphone, tout», détaille Momo*, un jeune homme dont la vie est devenue un calvaire à Dakar, la capitale du Sénégal. Le parlement vient de voter, mercredi 11 mars, une loi renforçant les sanctions contre les homosexuels mais aussi, contre toute organisation les soutenant. La mesure fait craindre un recul dans la lutte contre le VIH dans le pays de 34 millions d’habitants où la maladie se propage principalement dans cette communauté.

La loi est passée à l’unanimité – seuls trois parlementaires ne se sont pas prononcés – et s’est accompagnée de discours excessifs des élus. «Je parle à l’opinion internationale. Les homosexuels ne respireront plus dans ce pays. Les homosexuels n’auront plus la liberté d’expression dans ce pays», a martelé la députée Diaraye Bâ.

De 5 ans, la peine d’emprisonnement maximale pour «actes contre nature» est passée à 10 ans et l’amende peut maintenant atteindre 10 millions de francs CFA (l’équivalent de 13 800 francs suisses). Le texte va plus loin et crée deux nouveaux délits, celui d’apologie et celui de financement des entités et activités visant à promouvoir ou magnifier l’homosexualité, la bisexualité et la transsexualité. L’ONU a fortement dénoncé la nouvelle loi, et pour Amnesty International, les sanctions déjà en place étaient suffisantes, affirme le directeur de la section locale, Seydi Gassama: «Cinq ans dans les prisons sénégalaises, c’est une peine extrêmement sévère.»

Climat de traque et de délation

Si la loi inquiète, la vague d’homophobie avait déjà commencé début février lorsque deux affaires criminelles ont choqué l’opinion publique dans ce pays à 80% musulman. Douze personnes homosexuelles ont été interpellées pour actes contre nature et association de malfaiteurs, dont plusieurs célébrités et, notamment, l’animateur de télévision Pape Cheikh Diallo. De messages en photos, les enquêteurs traquent les homosexuels du «réseau». Depuis des semaines, les arrestations se multiplient, aujourd’hui une quarantaine, et font la une des journaux, parfois avec le nom et le statut sérologique des suspects. La police a affirmé que plusieurs auraient sciemment transmis le VIH. «La police ne maîtrise pas ce qu’ils sont en train de faire. La personne accusée de transmission volontaire, peut-être qu’elle a une charge virale indétectable donc elle ne peut pas transmettre le VIH», se révolte Momo qui souligne que le secret médical et le secret de l’enquête ont ici été bafoués.

L’affaire Pierre Robert, déclenchée au même moment, est venue attiser la haine populaire. Le Français aurait recruté des homosexuels sénégalais pour initier au sexe, filmer et prostituer de jeunes garçons vulnérables, avec une volonté affichée de transmettre le VIH. Quatorze personnes ont été arrêtées entre Dakar et Kaolack. Et pour Seydi Gassama, l’amalgame est inévitable: «Vous ne pouvez pas, aux yeux de l’opinion publique, dissocier les situations, les rapports contre nature, la pédophilie, la transmission volontaire du VIH/sida.»

Alors, les homosexuels se cachent ou s’exilent vers la Gambie et la Mauritanie pour échapper à la pire crise homophobe qu’a vécue le pays d’après certains. Papi* n’est pas homosexuel mais il travaille régulièrement auprès d’eux avec l’association de dépistage et de soutien aux malades du VIH qu’il a montée dans une ville secondaire du centre du Sénégal et pour ça, il a reçu des menaces. Il a déménagé car il craint pour sa vie.

Eviter tout lien avec l’homosexualité

«Pour toutes les personnes séropositives qui prenaient les médicaments, actuellement ce sont des pertes de vies, ils n’acceptent même plus de venir les récupérer», confie-t-il. Certains patients ramènent même leurs boîtes, par peur d’être identifiés comme homosexuels. La menace sur la lutte contre le VIH est réelle alors que le Sénégal fait figure de modèle sur le continent, la prévalence y est réduite à 0,3% de la population. Le nombre de décès est en baisse constante ces vingt dernières années mais les nouvelles infections sont remontées pendant le covid et atteignaient 2979 personnes en 2024.

L’affluence dans les centres dédiés au VIH a baissé mais les dépistages ont augmenté car de nombreux internautes affichent leurs résultats sérologiques. Dans ce climat de stigmatisation, des listes d’homosexuels présumés et de présidents d’association contre le VIH ont été partagées, notamment par l’ONG islamique Jamra qui a fourni 600 noms à la gendarmerie. Des influenceurs en ligne, comme Idy Missionnaire, vont jusqu’à donner les numéros, adresses et photos des personnes. «Un ami président d’une association à Saint-Louis a vu la gendarmerie débarquer chez lui pour l’arrêter mais il a fui en Mauritanie, raconte Papi. Je ne vais pas attendre que la police vienne me chercher. Ils sont en train de nous traquer un à un.» De nombreuses organisations ont fermé leurs sites web et leurs lignes téléphoniques, les patients se font menaçants pour être effacés des registres.

L’emballement populaire inquiète même le gouvernement, et le premier ministre Ousmane Sonko a mis en garde contre la publication des statuts sérologiques dans la presse. Seydi Gassama, lui aussi ciblé par une campagne de diffamation en ligne, salue néanmoins une clause de la loi qui introduit le délit de dénonciation calomnieuse, maintenant passible de 2 à 3 ans de prison et d’une amende jusqu’à 500 000 francs CFA (690 francs).

Senegal: Same-sex relations, now punishable by five to ten years in prison

Senegal passes law imposing harsher penalties for homosexuality in the name of combating Western influence

Translated with Deep. Scroll down for article in French.

Homophobia has reached such heights in Senegal that it has become a government priority. According to a bill passed on Wednesday, ‘unnatural acts’ will be punishable by prison terms ranging from five to ten years.

‘This is the first bill I have personally sponsored.’ On 24 February, to the applause of MPs, Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko took pride in personally initiating a bill to toughen penalties for homosexual relations in the country.

This bill was passed on Wednesday 11 March by the Senegalese National Assembly. The most symbolic measure in the new law is that it provides for ‘unnatural acts’ to be punished with five to ten years in prison, compared to one to five years currently. The maximum sentence will be imposed if the act was committed with a minor, according to the text. The law also provides for criminal penalties for the ‘promotion’ of homosexuality in Senegal.

In a country known for its tolerance in many respects, the repression of homosexuality has become a hot topic. The political calculations of the Sonko camp, which came to power in 2024 on a sovereignist platform, are in line with the concerns of a heated public opinion.

‘The Prime Minister is reacting to current events, which is normal,’ notes Thierno Alassane Sall, an opposition MP who did not vote in favour of the law – not out of concern for the rights of homosexuals, he explains, but because he considers the move to be demagogic. The elected representative refers to two group arrests carried out by the authorities in early February, which have been making headlines ever since. Fourteen people suspected of belonging to a paedophile ring with links to France and targeting young boys were arrested on 8 February. Some of the defendants are accused of knowingly transmitting HIV.

‘It’s a race to the bottom.’

A few days earlier, between 4 and 6 February, twelve other Senegalese nationals, including well-known figures such as a singer and a journalist, were arrested and accused of having homosexual relations. The HIV-positive status of some of the defendants was made public. Between the two cases, which are completely unrelated, confusion continues to reign on social media and in certain media outlets.

‘Confusion between paedophilia, homosexuality and the deliberate or accidental transmission of HIV has arisen and caused a great deal of fear and misunderstanding,’ regrets Dr Khoudia Sow, an anthropologist and specialist in the fight against AIDS. Since these two cases, arrests and attacks on people suspected of having homosexual relationships have been occurring at a steady pace. ‘These cases have led to a resurgence of mobilisation against homosexuality,’ acknowledges Thierno Alassane Sall.

Baba Dieng, a columnist in the Senegalese press, is one of the few public figures to be critical of the crackdown on homosexuality. ‘We can no longer discuss the subject calmly. It’s a race to the bottom,’ he laments. According to him, the prime minister is also acting under pressure from conservative lobbies, Jamra and And Samm Jikko Yi, which have been gaining influence since 2010 by making the fight against homosexuality their battle cry.

‘In recent weeks, even these organisations seem to have been overtaken. Online, voices are becoming even more radical. Everyone is putting forward their own proposals for homosexuals: life imprisonment, death, denial of burial…’, Baba Dieng points out.

‘These movements helped Ousmane Sonko and his party, the African Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics and Fraternity [Pastef], win the presidential election in 2024. It makes sense that he would make a gesture towards them,’ says Thierno Alassane Sall.

Playing the sovereignist rhetoric

Ousmane Sonko, who found allies among both progressive and conservative movements when he was in opposition, took advantage of the harsh criticism levelled by Jamra and And Samm Jikko Yi against the former regime of Macky Sall, accused of being lax towards homosexuality.

‘The law criminalising homosexuality will be one of the first I will push through,’ he promised in 2022.

The adoption of new legislation also comes at a complicated time for the government. Senegal is facing a worrying economic situation, with a budget deficit of nearly 14% of gross domestic product (GDP) and public sector debt estimated at 132% of GDP.

Many of the major promises in Pastef’s programme seem distant, such as the abandonment of the CFA franc. Tightening legislation on homosexuality allows the party to appear proactive at little cost, while continuing to play on sovereignist rhetoric.

Many Senegalese people perceive homosexuality as a Western phenomenon. Homophobic movements accuse foreign embassies and international NGOs of wanting to impose laws favourable to homosexuals.

In 2024, Ousmane Sonko himself seemed to make homosexuality a relatively important issue, emphasising that it is ‘not accepted, but tolerated’, but firmly pointing the finger at Western attempts to change Senegalese ways of ‘dealing with this reality’.

Punishing denunciations without proof

In the eyes of many Senegalese, by toughening the law on homosexuality, the Prime Minister, elected on the basis of a patriotic discourse fuelled by anti-colonialism, is standing up to the West and taking on the role of defender of values presented as Senegalese.

‘Ultimately, while homophobia activists in Senegal claim to be motivated by [Muslim] religiosity, the homophobic dynamic is highly political,’ says Baba Dieng.

On 24 February, the Prime Minister nevertheless denounced the public disclosure of people’s HIV status, which has become increasingly common on social media and in certain media outlets. While Jamra leader Mame Mactar Gueye has been threatening for several years to reveal a list of homosexuals he claims to have in his possession, the Prime Minister’s bill also plans to introduce penalties for unsubstantiated denunciations, which are rife on social media.

Ousmane Sonko also took care to emphasise the importance of continuing to allow health organisations to pursue their work against AIDS. ‘The Prime Minister wants to regain control of the issue. The hype is such that, here and there, even Pastef is accused of being close to the gay community,’ says one MP on condition of anonymity. As a result, some find the Prime Minister too timid and regret that his bill does not formally criminalise homosexuality, but merely emphasises its repression.

More than half of African countries prohibit and repress homosexuality. The death penalty is imposed in Uganda, Mauritania and Somalia. A dozen countries and territories impose penalties ranging from ten years’ imprisonment to life imprisonment, including Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania and Sierra Leone.

Le Sénégal adopte une loi réprimant plus sévèrement l’homosexualité au nom de la lutte contre l’influence occidentale

L’homophobie a atteint des sommets au Sénégal, au point de devenir une priorité gouvernementale. Selon un texte adopté mercredi, les « actes contre nature » seront punis de peines allant de cinq à dix ans de prison.

« C’est le premier projet de loi que je porte moi-même. » Le 24 février, sous les applaudissements des députés, le premier ministre sénégalais, Ousmane Sonko, s’enorgueillissait d’être personnellement à l’initiative d’un projet de loi durcissant les peines réprimant les relations homosexuelles dans le pays.

C’est ce texte qui a été adopté, mercredi 11 mars, par l’Assemblée nationale sénégalaise. Mesure la plus emblématique, la nouvelle loi prévoit de punir les « actes contre nature » de cinq à dix ans de prison, contre un à cinq ans actuellement. La peine maximale sera prononcée si l’acte a été commis avec un mineur, selon le texte. La loi prévoit également des sanctions pénales contre la « promotion » de l’homosexualité au Sénégal.

Dans un pays réputé tolérant à beaucoup d’égards, la répression de l’homosexualité s’est imposée comme un thème porteur. Les calculs politiques du camp Sonko, arrivé au pouvoir en 2024 sur un discours souverainiste, rejoignent les préoccupations d’une opinion publique chauffée à blanc.

« Le premier ministre réagit à l’actualité, ce qui est normal », remarque Thierno Alassane Sall, député de l’opposition, qui n’a lui-même pas voté en faveur de la loi – pas par souci de défense des droits des homosexuels, explique-t-il, mais parce qu’il considère que la démarche est démagogique. L’élu fait référence à deux arrestations groupées réalisées par les autorités au début du mois de février, qui défraient depuis la chronique. Quatorze personnes, suspectées d’appartenir à un réseau pédocriminel remontant jusqu’à la France et visant de jeunes garçons, ont été interpellés le 8 février. Certains prévenus sont accusés d’avoir transmis le VIH en connaissance de cause.

« C’est la course à la radicalité »

Quelques jours plus tôt, entre le 4 et le 6 février, douze autres Sénégalais, parmi lesquelles des personnalités, notamment un chanteur et un journaliste, avaient été arrêtées, accusées de leur côté d’avoir eu des relations homosexuelles. La séropositivité de certains des prévenus a été rendue publique. Entre les deux affaires, parfaitement indépendantes l’une de l’autre, l’amalgame est entretenu sur les réseaux sociaux et dans certains médias.

« Une confusion entre pédophilie, homosexualité et transmission volontaire ou involontaire du VIH est apparue et a suscité beaucoup de peur, d’incompréhensions », regrette la docteure et anthropologue Khoudia Sow, spécialiste de la lutte contre le sida. Depuis ces deux affaires, les arrestations, mais aussi les agressions de personnes soupçonnées d’entretenir des relations homosexuelles, s’enchaînent à un rythme soutenu. « Ces affaires ont entraîné un regain de la mobilisation contre l’homosexualité », reconnaît Thierno Alassane Sall.

Baba Dieng, chroniqueur dans la presse sénégalaise, est l’une des rares personnalités à se montrer critiques de la répression de l’homosexualité. « On ne peut plus discuter du sujet de manière apaisée. C’est la course à la radicalité », regrette-t-il. Selon lui, le premier ministre agit aussi sous la pression de lobbys conservateurs, Jamra et And Samm Jikko Yi, qui n’ont cessé de gagner en influence depuis 2010 en faisant de la lutte contre l’homosexualité leur cheval de bataille.

« Depuis quelques semaines, même ces organisations semblent dépassées. En ligne, des voix se font encore plus radicales. Chacun y va de sa proposition pour les homosexuels : enfermer à vie, tuer, priver de sépulture… », souligne Baba Dieng.

« Ces mouvements ont aidé Ousmane Sonko et son parti, les Patriotes africains du Sénégal pour le travail, l’éthique et la fraternité [Pastef], à remporter l’élection présidentielle en 2024. Il est logique qu’il fasse un geste envers eux », souligne Thierno Alassane Sall.

Jouer de la rhétorique souverainiste

Ousmane Sonko, qui a trouvé des alliés tant du côté de mouvements progressistes que conservateurs lorsqu’il était dans l’opposition, a profité des critiques très dures portées par Jamra et And Samm Jikko Yi contre l’ancien régime de Macky Sall, accusé d’être laxiste vis-à-vis de l’homosexualité. « La loi criminalisant l’homosexualité sera l’une des premières que je ferai voter », promettait-il ainsi en 2022.

L’adoption d’une nouvelle législation intervient aussi dans une période compliquée pour le pouvoir. Le Sénégal est confronté à une situation économique préoccupante, avec un déficit budgétaire de près de 14 % du produit intérieur brut (PIB) et une dette du secteur public estimée à 132 % du PIB.

Beaucoup des grandes promesses du programme du Pastef semblent lointaines, à l’instar de l’abandon du franc CFA. Le durcissement de la législation sur l’homosexualité permet au parti de se montrer volontariste à peu de frais, tout en continuant à jouer de la rhétorique souverainiste.

Beaucoup de Sénégalais perçoivent de fait l’homosexualité comme un phénomène occidental. Les mouvements homophobes accusent les ambassades étrangères et les ONG internationales de vouloir imposer des lois favorables aux personnes homosexuelles.

En 2024, Ousmane Sonko lui-même semblait faire de l’homosexualité un sujet d’importance relative, soulignant qu’elle n’est « pas acceptée, mais tolérée », mais pointait fermement du doigt les volontés occidentales de changer les manières sénégalaises de « gérer cette réalité ».

Punir les dénonciations sans preuve

Aux yeux de nombreux Sénégalais, en durcissant la loi sur l’homosexualité, le premier ministre, élu sur la base d’un discours patriotique nourri d’anticolonialisme, tient ainsi tête à l’Occident et endosse un rôle de défenseur de valeurs présentées comme sénégalaises. « Au final, si les militants de l’homophobie au Sénégal se prévalent de religiosité [musulmane], la dynamique homophobe est très politique », analyse Baba Dieng.

Le premier ministre a tout de même dénoncé, le 24 février, les divulgations publiques des statuts sérologiques de personnes, qui se sont multipliées sur les réseaux sociaux et dans certains médias. Alors que le leader de Jamra, Mame Mactar Gueye, menace depuis plusieurs années de dévoiler une liste d’homosexuels qu’il aurait en sa possession, le projet de loi du premier ministre prévoit aussi d’introduire des punitions pour les dénonciations sans preuve, qui vont bon train sur les réseaux sociaux.

Ousmane Sonko a aussi pris soin de souligner l’importance de continuer à permettre aux organisations de santé de poursuivre leur action contre le sida. « Le premier ministre veut reprendre la main sur le sujet. L’emballement est tel que, çà et là, même le Pastef est accusé de proximité avec la communauté gay », glisse un député sous couvert d’anonymat. Résultat : certains trouvent le premier ministre trop timoré et regrettent que son projet de loi ne criminalise pas l’homosexualité formellement, s’en tenant à accentuer sa répression.

Plus de la moitié des pays africains interdisent et répriment l’homosexualité. La peine de mort est encourue en Ouganda, en Mauritanie ou en Somalie. Une dizaine de pays et territoires prévoient des peines allant de dix ans de prison à la perpétuité, parmi lesquels le Soudan, le Kenya, la Tanzanie et la Sierra Leone.

Senegal: Rising homophobia drives patients away from HIV care and prevention services

Senegal’s LGBTQ+ community lives in fear as fight against AIDS faces setback

The country has regularly seen homophobic protest fueling assaults and public denunciations. Within this climate, organizations working to fight HIV worry that individuals will turn away from vital care and prevention services.

On February 20, Ousmane gathered a few belongings and fled his home. “Since then,” the Senegalese man said, speaking under a pseudonym, “I’ve been living in hiding, in a city I can’t name. I’m petrified. People in my neighborhood found out things about my life. They know I’m gay.” If word spreads, the man in his 30s went on, “I risk being beaten and arrested, or arrested and then beaten. I don’t see any solution other than leaving for another country as soon as I can.”

Denunciations, extortion and assaults: Over the past several weeks, people who are gay or who are suspected of being gay have faced a surge of hostility across Senegal, a country that has already been marked by regular homophobic mobilizations over the past decade.

Violence against LGBTQ+ people has escalated dramatically following the arrests in February of 14 suspected members of a pedocriminal ring targeting young boys; two days earlier, 12 men, including local media figures, were accused of homosexuality. The two cases are entirely unrelated.

Several media outlets, relying on evidence gathered by police, published the HIV status of some defendants in both cases, fueling “the conflation, already present at times in Senegal, between homosexuality and pedophilia, homosexuality and HIV positivity,” said Marane Kane, a French-Senegalese consultant and a specialist in gender issues based in France. “Since then, there has been a surge in reports of assaults, and people are living in hiding,” she stressed.

Calls for hatred

According to Free Sénégal, a support network for LGBTQ+ people, about 30 arrests have taken place since then in Dakar, Touba and Saint-Louis. “I’m afraid of everyone’s gaze. I feel like I could be denounced at any moment. I don’t eat, I don’t sleep,” explained a young man.

Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko responded to the media frenzy and, reiterating a promise made three years ago, announced on Tuesday, February 24, that he had submitted a bill to toughen sentences targeting “acts against nature” – a term that includes same-sex relations – raising the penalty to five to 10 years in prison, up from the current one to five years. The move was hailed by Mame Mactar Gueye, the influential leader of the Islamic NGO Jamra, which campaigns for the criminalization of homosexuality; his supporters, meanwhile, are demanding even harsher repression.

On TikTok and on Facebook, in videos viewed hundreds of thousands of times, influencers, including some based in Europe, have hurled condemnations at both ordinary citizens and public figures. The well-known actor Sanekh, star of the hit series Bété Bété, has been targeted. And Elimane Ndao, the Senegal correspondent for the French television channel France 24, has filed a complaint for similar reasons. To avoid being singled out, some people have even started posting proof of their HIV-negative status on social media.

Encouraged by these calls for hatred, assaults have multiplied, often taking the form of carefully planned ambushes. “He doesn’t want to talk to you, he’s too scared. I’ll tell his story for him,” said a Senegalese man living in France, describing a friend in Senegal. “He was chatting with a man on a dating app. They agreed to meet. It was a trap. He was threatened with a knife and had to hand over money to get away. Things like this happen all the time.”

The situation is alarming human rights advocates. “Gay people have become scapegoats for society. There’s the conflation with pedophilia, conspiracy theories painting them as Trojan horses for Western values, to the detriment of all local knowledge… Everything that goes wrong is blamed on them,” explained Kane. “Meanwhile, real issues like sexual violence against children are forgotten. People think they’ve done enough by cracking down on homosexuality.”

‘There’s nothing left to do but flee’

This pressure has organizations that work to fight AIDS worried that people will turn away from care and prevention services. Senegal has managed to keep HIV prevalence low (0.5% of the population in 2020). “We’re already seeing a drop in consultations. Many patients are skipping appointments, and the few who dare to come hide their identities,” said Safiatou Thiam, the executive secretary of the National Council for the Fight Against AIDS in Senegal.

After the disclosure of some citizens’ HIV status, panicked patients have asked health centers to erase their records. As for the network of community outreach workers serving at-risk populations, it has collapsed; outreach staff no longer dare ask about people’s health or try to promote prevention among a group facing such intense stigma.

In his address, Sonko insisted on the ban on sharing people’s health status. He also emphasized that the prison sentences in his bill for “promoting” so-called “acts against nature” – a provision targeting NGOs and advocacy groups that might defend the rights of gay people – should not prevent the health system from continuing its work on AIDS prevention. According to health professionals, they discreetly reached out to the government as soon as rumors emerged of a possible bill imposing harsher penalties for homosexuality.

“We can’t live in our country anymore. It’s too dangerous, there’s nothing left to do but flee,” said a young man in his 30s, his voice breaking with sobs, who spent all his savings to escape Senegal for Europe five months ago. “I can’t imagine a gay person seeking medical care in this climate.”

As for Gueye, he is showing no sign of ending his campaign. After thanking “all the TikTokers, valiant defenders of our cause,” he recently announced his intention to “tackle the scourge of lesbianism.”

Senegal: Right to defence tested in Senegal’s high-profile homosexuality and HIV criminalisation cases

The Senegalese bar facing the “file of shame”

A case involving defendants prosecuted, among other charges, for “unnatural acts” and the alleged intentional transmission of HIV has placed Senegalese lawyers in an unprecedented ethical dilemma. According to Les Échos, although the case involves nearly 40 defendants, only eight lawyers — mostly younger practitioners — have agreed to take it on.The newspaper’s investigation suggests that this reluctance, despite reportedly attractive fees, reflects a combination of social pressure, religious beliefs, and fear of stigma.Several lawyers interviewed acknowledged that public perception is a major deterrent. One of those already involved in the defence, speaking anonymously, said:

“I don’t even want people to know I’m working on this case. It’s extremely sensitive. You hesitate more than once before taking it on, and you even feel the need to consult your family first.”

In a context where lawyers are often associated with the clients they represent, some fear being labelled “the lawyer of goordjiguenes” (a derogatory term referring to homosexuals), potentially damaging both their personal reputation and that of their firm. This concern is particularly acute for those with political ambitions. As one young lawyer put it:

“There is something seen as shameful about this case that makes many lawyers reluctant to have their names linked to it.”

Religious considerations also weigh heavily for some. One lawyer who declined to join the defence explained:

“I cannot take this case. Never. When I read passages in the Qur’an describing this as among the worst of abominations, I cannot accept it.”

For him, financial incentives are irrelevant:

“I don’t want that money to benefit my family. It’s not money I could accept in good conscience.”

Others within the legal profession, however, stress that the right to a defence is a fundamental principle. A senior member of the bar, with more than thirty years’ experience, was unequivocal:

“Even the worst criminal has the right to a lawyer. I took an oath to defend those in need. If someone hires me and pays me, I defend them. That is my duty.”

Another lawyer drew a comparison with the medical profession:

“A lawyer defends a case, not a ‘goordjiguène’. It’s like a doctor treating a patient — you don’t refuse care because of who they are.”

Some lawyers have agreed to act on principle, in certain cases without charging fees. One explained:

“I stepped in because I was troubled by what happened at the police station that day. But I did not ask to be paid.”

Even so, the pressures surrounding the case remain intense. As one lawyer observed:

“In Senegal, people tend to equate the lawyer with the cause they defend.”

Kyrgyzstan: Proposal to introduce mandatory HIV testing for people getting married

Deputy of the Jogorku Kenesh Nurzhamal Torobekova proposed to introduce a mandatory medical examination for those getting married due to the increase in cases of HIV infection in Kyrgyzstan, the publication “Azattyk” reports.

According to the Republican Center for the Control of Viral Hepatitis and HIV, more than 15 thousand people with a positive status are officially registered in the country. In five years, the number of identified cases has increased 1.5 times – from 10 thousand in 2020, notes edition.

Most of the infected – 60% – are people of working age. Experts record a change in the ways of transmission of the virus: at the moment the sexual route dominates, while in the past decades the main factor was injecting drug use.

Particular attention is paid to migration processes. According to the department, as of mid-2025, about 31% of all new cases of infection occur in citizens returning from work from abroad. The main flow of migration from Kyrgyzstan is directed to the Russian Federation, where, according to various estimates, from 1 to 1.2 million people with HIV live. According to the Ministry of Social Development of the Kyrgyz Republic, there are officially more than 341 thousand Kyrgyz in Russia. Often, the infection is detected after the creation of a family, when a labor migrant, not knowing about his status or hiding it, infects his partner.

Torobekova’s initiative is based on the practice of neighboring countries – Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, where future spouses are obliged to be tested for HIV, syphilis and liver disease. In these states, which are also major suppliers of labor to the foreign market, inspections for newlyweds are carried out free of charge.

Senegal: National Assembly to examine new bill that increases penalties for same-sex relations

“We find ourselves in prison alongside criminals”, a bill provides for doubling the penalties against homosexuality

The National Assembly of Senegal must examine on Wednesday, March 11, a bill to toughen the repression of homosexuality, with penalties of up to ten years in prison. This initiative comes in a climate of tension marked by arrests and criticism from human rights organizations.

The deputies of the National Assembly of Senegal will meet in plenary session on Wednesday, March 11, 2026 to examine a bill aimed at strengthening sanctions against same-sex relations. According to a document from the single chamber of Parliament received by AFP, the text provides for doubling the penalties incurred, which could reach up to ten years in prison.

The bill was made public last month by Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko. In addition to the tightening of sentences for homosexual relations, it also plans to punish anyone who “apology” homosexuality with three to seven years in prison.

A wave of arrests in recent weeks

The parliamentary debate comes in a context of increased repression against people suspected of homosexuality. In early February, 12 men, including two local celebrities, were arrested and charged with “unnatural acts”, an expression used to refer to same-sex relationships.

According to the local press, this operation was followed by a series of almost daily arrests of at least 30 people. Some would have been identified as a result of complaints or searches of their phones.

In several cases, the media published the names of the arrested persons. A practice that led the Council for the Observance of the Rules of Ethics and Deontology in the Media (CORED) to remind editorial offices of the importance of respecting “human dignity” and the “privacy of individuals”.

On the spot, the gay community lives in fear. At RTL’s microphone, El Hadj confides that he no longer dares to leave his small apartment in Dakar except to go to work. “You wake up one fine day and you hear that we have caught five people, the next day you hear that we have caught two, that’s what happens. Because of your sexual orientation you are in danger, and that should not be the case in 2026”.

A feeling he shares with his friend now living in France, who was arrested in 2021 for homosexuality. “I’ve been in prison for three months, we don’t hurt anyone. We find ourselves in prison alongside criminals,” he said on RTL’s microphone.

A sensitive subject in a very religious country

Mostly Muslim and deeply religious, Senegal widely considers homosexuality as a deviance. In some recent cases, arrested people have also been accused of deliberately transmitting HIV, which has fueled virulent anti-homosexual rhetoric.

The tightening of legislation is also an old promise of the ruling camp, politically promising in the country. For several years, very influential religious associations have been calling for more severe criminalization of homosexuality, regularly calling on the authorities to strengthen sanctions.