Senegal court issues first conviction under new anti-homosexuality law
AP News
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A court in Senegal has issued the first conviction under a new law increasing punishment for homosexuality.
The court sentenced a 24-year-old laborer on Friday to six years in prison and fined him for “acts against nature and public indecency.” He was arrested earlier this month.
Senegal, a largely Muslim nation, is the latest African country to impose harsher penalties against the LGBTQ+ community.
The new law increases prison sentences to between five and 10 years.
Human Rights Watch researcher Larissa Kojoué says the law has created a climate of “constant fear" and more aggressive arrests.