France expresses concern over Senegal's stricter anti-LGBT+ laws

France has voiced its concern regarding the increased penalties for LGBT+ individuals in Senegal. The country adopted a law in March that doubled the sentences for homosexual relations, and a first conviction under this new law occurred last week. The spokesperson for the Quai d'Orsay, Pascal Confavreux, stated that France is worried about the harsher sentences and the creation of new offenses related to the promotion or financing of homosexuality. Minister Jean-Noël Barrot discussed this issue with his counterpart, Cheikh Niang, during a meeting at the Quai d'Orsay. On April 10, a Dakar court sentenced a young Senegalese man born in 2002 to six years in prison after he was caught in a sexual act with another man. Senegal, a predominantly Muslim country, passed the law in mid-March, increasing penalties for homosexual relations to five to ten years in prison, amidst a wave of homophobia and arrests for alleged homosexuality. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, condemned the law, stating it violates human rights. France is globally committed to the universal decriminalization of homosexuality, the defense of LGBT+ rights, and against discrimination based on sexual orientation.