French MEP condemns anti-LGBTQ+ crackdown in Senegal

Manon Aubry, a prominent French Member of the European Parliament and leader of the Left Group, has voiced strong opposition to the escalating persecution of LGBTQ+ individuals in Senegal. The French politician is urging Paris to take immediate diplomatic action to protect those at risk and support victims of this growing crisis.

Outspoken criticism of Senegal’s discriminatory legislation

In a public statement shared across social media platforms, Manon Aubry condemned what she describes as a systematic campaign targeting LGBTQ+ communities in Senegal. The French politician highlighted the country’s recent legal amendments that criminalize same-sex relationships, imposing severe penalties of up to a decade in prison.

The MEP’s remarks come amid a wave of arrests targeting both Senegalese citizens and foreign nationals under controversial provisions related to public morality and public health concerns.

Call for urgent French intervention

Aubry emphasized the urgency of the situation, stressing that « homosexuality is not a crime, and no one should face persecution for their identity or orientation. » She called on French authorities to intervene diplomatically, secure the release of detained individuals—including a French national—and expedite asylum requests from LGBTQ+ Senegalese refugees fleeing persecution.

The politician’s statement reflects growing international concern over the enforcement of anti-LGBTQ+ laws in West Africa and underscores the need for coordinated responses from European institutions to uphold human rights standards.