12 October 2026 | Senegal | Human rights, civic space and access to justice
A new Human Rights Watch investigation describes arrests, alleged forced HIV testing and difficulties obtaining legal representation in Senegal.
On 11 March 2026, parliament amended Article 319 of the Penal Code, increasing the maximum prison sentence for consensual same-sex conduct to ten years. The amendments also introduced penalties for activities described as promoting or supporting homosexuality.
Human Rights Watch interviewed 39 people, including former detainees, lawyers and health professionals. Senegalese organisation RADDHO recorded at least 212 arrests between February and July, while HIV Justice Network reported more than 300. Human Rights Watch could not independently verify the national total. Neither figure should be treated as definitive.
Interviewees described HIV testing without informed consent, disclosure of confidential health information and fears among lawyers about representing detainees. These are reported allegations, not findings established in court. Health workers also described patients avoiding treatment because they feared arrest or exposure.
The questions raised go beyond the arrests themselves. They concern privacy, medical confidentiality, fair trials and whether people can seek healthcare without fear.
Human Rights Watch said it sought a response from Senegalese authorities before publication but had not received one. That does not establish every allegation. It does leave serious questions requiring an answer.
Source and verification: Human Rights Watch, 12 October 2026. Legislative amendment confirmed in the report; arrest totals disputed; individual accounts attributed to interviewees. This is a human-rights record, not a GBV victim count.
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