Judicial proceedings accelerate in Senegal over alleged homosexual acts

In Dakar, Pape Cheikh Diallo, Djiby Dramé, and others arrested in connection with an investigation are being presented to an examining magistrate. Concurrently, in Thiès, four men have been referred to the public prosecutor's office for alleged "unnatural acts." These four men in Thiès were arrested last weekend in an apartment during a police intervention and placed in police custody, with several items seized for the investigation.

After an initial referral to the prosecutor, they were again presented to a magistrate who will decide on the next judicial steps. These simultaneous presentations before the judiciary in both Dakar and Thiès raise questions about possible coordination of investigations or the extent of the alleged network dismantled. The suspects, appearing for "unnatural acts," face penalties ranging from one to five years of imprisonment under Article 319 of the Senegalese penal code.

These cases are highly sensitive within Senegal's social and religious context and are closely monitored by human rights organizations, which frequently denounce targeted repression of LGBTQ+ individuals. The justice system continues its work, while public opinion remains divided on these moral issues.