"Amadou Ndiaye has spent the past two months watching members of his organisation disappear, fleeing across borders, being arrested or simply going silent. We have stopped all our activities. We are no longer safe, he says."
"On 27 March, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye signed a new law doubling the maximum prison term to 10 years for sexual acts by same-sex couples and criminalising the promotion of homosexuality."
"Alice Bordacarre warns that any organisation working on fundamental rights, including HIV prevention, could be considered as promoting LGBTQ+ rights under the law's broad framing. It risks criminalising legitimate human rights activities."
"The success of Senegal's HIV prevention system was built on reaching men who have sex with men and other key populations who are being swept up in a wave of arrests."
Amadou Ndiaye, secretary-general of UJEC, has witnessed the disappearance and arrest of members from his organization due to rising anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment in Senegal. Following his own attack, Ndiaye fled to Gambia but has since returned, although UJEC's services remain suspended. The new law signed by President Faye increases prison terms for same-sex acts and criminalizes the promotion of homosexuality, endangering human rights organizations. This hostile environment jeopardizes HIV prevention efforts and the safety of those working in fundamental rights advocacy.
Read at www.theguardian.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]