Senegal Releases 28 Men in Homosexuality Case Due to Lack of Evidence

A court in Senegal has released 28 of nearly a hundred men arrested in February on charges of same-sex relations. The investigating judge of the Pikine-Guédiawaye High Court dismissed the charges against this group citing a “lack of evidence”.

According to Le Monde, among those released is a French citizen—an engineer in his thirties working in Dakar—who had been detained since February 14. Another 71 defendants remain under investigation on charges of “criminal association” and “acts against nature”.

At the center of the investigation is popular Senegalese television host Pape Cheikh Diallo. About six months ago, he was suspected of leading a network involving homosexuality, intentional HIV transmission, and money laundering. This case sparked an unprecedented wave of arrests across the country. Same-sex relations are criminalized in Senegal.