French activism rises as Senegal’s anti-lgbtq laws spark crisis

In response to Senegal’s recent legislation imposing severe penalties for same-sex relationships, French civil society and political leaders are rallying to support persecuted LGBTQ+ individuals. The new law, adopted in March, criminalizes homosexuality with sentences ranging from five to ten years in prison, prompting urgent humanitarian action across Europe.

STOP homophobie, a leading French advocacy group, is currently assisting 68 detained individuals in Senegal while providing shelter to several asylum seekers in the Paris region. The organization has also facilitated humanitarian visas for over fifty people fleeing persecution.

Terrence Khatchadourian, the association’s secretary-general, reveals the staggering volume of urgent calls they’ve received: “Two weeks ago, we had already logged 3,000 incoming calls—but our systems couldn’t handle the overwhelming demand.”