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Men arrested in Senegal over "gay wedding" photos
(Pinknews.uk.co, 5/2/2006) Gay rights activists have called for a group of men arrested in Senegal on suspicion of homosexuality to be released from prison.
In a letter to Senegalese Minister of Justice, the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) and PAN-Africa ILGA have demanded the immediate and unconditional release of up to 20 gay men.
An unknown number have been arrested in Dakar, the Senegalese capital, since Sunday morning.Local magazine Icones published photographs of a marriage ceremony between two Senegalese men.Sources report that the photographs were sold to the magazine by the photographer for 1,500,000 CFA francs (£1,500).
The arrests were reportedly undertaken upon the orders of Mr. Asane Ndoye, head of the Senegalese Police's Division of Criminal Investigation.
"Mass arrests of people simply because they are gay terrorise the entire community," said Paula Ettelbrick, IGLHRC's executive director. "The inhuman treatment of gay men and lesbians must stop. We call upon the world community to enforce international human rights law." "We are afraid for our lives, especially those of us shown in the photographs," said Jean R., a Senegalese gay activist who spoke to ILGA and IGLHRC from a hotel where he is seeking refuge. "Some of us have gone into hiding and others are fleeing the country."
Senegal is one of the few Francophone African countries that penalise homosexuality.Homosexual acts are punishable by imprisonment of between one and five years and a fine of 100,000 to 1,500,000 CFA francs. While there are occasional arrests and convictions of gay men in Senegal, social stigma and blackmail are the most prevalent abuses faced by gay men in the country.
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Senegalese men arrested over gay wedding photos
INTERNATIONAL / Gay rights groups question whether country is fit to host AIDS conference later this year
Brent Creelman / Xtra.ca / Tuesday, February 05, 2008
The arrest of several men in Senegal has gay rights groups questioning whether the West African nation is fit to host an AIDS conference later this year.
Police in Dakar — the capital of Senegal — arrested between seven and 20 men after a local magazine published photographs of a marriage ceremony between two men. Police have not revealed where the men are being held, only that they are charged with suspicion of homosexuality.
Homosexual acts are prohibited under Senegalese law, with punishment ranging from one to five years in prison, and fines from $200 to $3,000.
The wedding pictures were published in Icone magazine, and the BBC reports that at least five of the men arrested appeared in the wedding photographs.
"Mass arrests of people simply because they are gay terrorize the entire community," says Paula Ettelbrick, the executive director of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission.
While Senegalese gay men and women remain socially marginalized, the country is considered one of the most progressive in Africa on the issue of homosexuality, says the ILGHRC.
"The government has included a commitment to fighting HIV among men who have sex with men in its national AIDS response plan since 2005," says Joel Nana, the ILGHRC's program associate for West Africa. "That's why we found these arrests to be very distressing."
Dakar is set to host the International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA) in Dec 2008.
"There will be no room for an open and inclusive discussion on the human rights dimensions of HIV in the face of such harassment," says Danilo da Silva, co-chair of Pan Africa International Lesbian and Gay Association. "We expect more from a leading country like Senegal."
Scandal over gay marriage rocks Senegal
Story by HAMADOU TIDIANE SY
Publication Date: 6/2/2008
DAILY NATION, Kenya
Dakar. Police in Senegal have arrested at least seven people allegedly involved in the celebration of a gay marriage in a restaurant in the outskirts of Dakar, raising again debate about morality and individual freedom in a country caught between conservatism and the desire to project a tolerant image.
The identities of the people, who are under police custody but not charged yet, were not revealed except for one Pape Mbaye who is unknown to the public but whose name has been given by one newspaper with no further details about his profile.
The arrest took place on Sunday following the publication by a glossy magazine of pictures allegedly taken during the celebration of the alleged same sex marriage.
The local press and other web sites indicate that at least five of the people arrested appear in the pictures published in the latest issue by of glossy monthly magazine, Icone specialising in Dakar’s trends, night life and jet-setters.
Mr Mansour Dieng, the Publication Director of Icone told the local media: “When we published the story (of the gay marriage) in a previous issue, we were treated as liars and accused of fabricating the story, we have decided to publish the photos to give the public an evidence of what we reported”.
Death threats
Mr Dieng claimed to have received death threats following the publication of the pictures which show a group of dressed up and happy males.
Mr Dieng has since reported to police about the death threats.
In the pictures, one of the suspects appears to be putting a ring on his partner’s finger. The alleged gay marriage was between a young Senegalese national and another West African citizen, believed to have gone into hiding since the affair was made public.
With the police not making any official and public statement on the matter, the exact nationality of the runaway suspect is the subject of contradicting reports, some saying he is a Ghanaian national while others identify him as an Ivorian.
Due to the same silent attitude from the police, it was also difficult to clearly establish if the arrests were linked to the celebration of the marriage, to the death threats or to both.
According to l’Observateur, a private daily, same sex marriages are not allowed by Senegalese law.
The newspaper quoted a lawyer as saying “any offender faces up to five years in prison and FCFA 1.5 million fine (US $ 3.600)” fine.
In Senegal, a nation where Muslims represent more than 95 per cent of the population, homosexuality has always been a marginal, sensitive and highly taboo affair.
Though, the phenomenon is known and has always existed, it is totally rejected as contrary to morality and religion.
One pro-Islamic NGO, Jamra has issued a statement denouncing the threats against Mr Dieng, the publication director.
But, the NGO also warned the country against the development of ‘‘sexual depravation, caused by the greed for easy money and which threatens the country’s youth”.
The “Goorjigeen” (the name for biologically effeminate people) did exist in Senegalese traditional societies where they were somehow tolerated but not respected nor given any right to exhibit their sexual preferences. They were rather considered as really marginal human beings.
According to popular belief many of the homosexuals who voluntarily engage in same sex practices in the big cities adhere to this way of life simply to make money, and the practices itself is at times easily confused with prostitution.
In local websites and newspapers many people are expressing outrage and shock, saying these “foreign” practices should not be allowed to prosper in the country, while others denounce the hypocrisy of a society which has no courage to face itself.
Last year a group of young female dancers, including Ndèye Guèye considered as one of the top dancers in the country, were arrested and tried for featuring in a video showing suggestive dance moves.
The video was dubbed indecent and compared to pornography by some people.
At the trial, all dancers were released and put “under probation” but the organisers of the private party and the owner of the club where it took place and where the video was shot were sentenced to prison terms.
Senegal gay arrest condemned
afrol News, 5 February - Gay rights organisations - the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) and Pan-Africa ILGA - condemned the arrest and detention of more than a dozen gay suspects in the Senegalese capital Dakar at the weekend, demanding the "immediate and unconditional release" of the men.
In a letter to the Senegalese Minister of Justice, the organisations expressed outrage and
concern over the issue.
Senegalese security clamped down on the men after a popular local magazine, Icones, splashed photographs of a marriage ceremony between two Senegalese men.
Believed to have taken place in a discrete location in Dakar more than a year ago, the
photographs of the marriage were reportedly sold to the magazine by the photographer for US $3,000.
The men, whose whereabouts are unclear, were reportedly arrested under the orders of a senior criminal investigation officer.
"Mass arrests of people simply because they are gay terrorize the entire community," said Paula Ettelbrick, IGLHRC's executive director.
"The inhuman treatment of gay men and lesbians must stop. We call upon the world community to enforce international human rights law."
The organisations blamed Senegal for violating the UN convention that protects sexual
orientation.
"We are afraid for our lives, especially those of us shown in the photographs," a Senegalese gay activist who is hiding in a hotel told ILGA and IGLHRC. "Some of us have gone into hiding and others are fleeing the country," he said.
Homosexuality acts are outlaw by Senegal's penal code and those found guilty serve between one and five years prison sentence. Those found guilty are also fined not less than US $200 and not exceeding US $3,000.
There has been occasional arrests and convictions of gay men in Senegal, but the rampant "social stigma and blackmail have been the most prevalent abuses faced by gay men in the country."
Joel Nana, the Program Associate for IGLHRC in West Africa, found the arrests as "very
distressing" because Senegal has been attained tremendous progress on the issue of homosexuality.
"The government has included a commitment to fighting HIV among men who have sex with men in its national AIDS response plan since 2005."
Senegal: The attitude of Senegalese society toward Senegalese homosexuals; protection offered (2003 - 2006)
Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa
Homosexuality is still prohibited in Senegal (Behind the Mask n.d.; Canada 11 Dec. 2005). Under the Senegalese Penal Code, this practice is punishable by a prison term of one to five years and a fine of 100,000 to 150,000 CFA francs (ibid.; Behind the Mask n.d). If the act is committed with a minor (someone under 21 years of age), the maximum prison sentence will be imposed (ibid.; Canada 11 Dec. 2005).
In a country that is 95 per cent Muslim (UN 28 Nov. 2005), where [translation] "conservative values and strict respect for the Koran mean problems for those involved in 'unacceptable' sexual practices" (ibid.), homosexuals continue to hide their sexual orientation because they feel oppressed by the [UN English version] "social and religious taboos" (UN 21 Jan. 2005). They are also wary of society's hostility toward them (ibid. 28 Nov. 2005). [UN English version] "Mamadou, a quiet dresser who wears his hair in long plaits in a sole slight sign of non-conformity, spent three weeks in bed on one occasion recovering from a beating after the gutter press published his photo and address" (ibid. 21 Jan. 2005); "Serigne . . . has been attacked twice. The first time, men assaulted him in the street after a newspaper named him as a gay AIDS activist" (AP 31 Mar. 2005). According to an article published by the Promotion of Diversity in France Action Circle (Cercle d'action pour la promotion de la diversité en France, CAPDIV), [translation] "the Senegalese national correspondent for International Day Against Homophobia was subjected to a particularly homophobic press campaign, was beaten and had to flee the city where he lived" (19 Jan. 2006).
Owing to social pressure, homosexuals in Senegal report living a [translation] "double life . . . a married man's life, hiding their sexual orientation for fear of being rejected by their family, friends and colleagues" (UN 28 Nov. 2005). According to a doctor of a regional committee involved in the fight against AIDS, homosexuals, [translation] "who often have multiple partners," are among "the most exposed to the HIV/AIDS virus . . . because of their lack of knowledge about methods to avoid the virus" (ibid.).
[Translation]
Following a 2005 study of 463 homosexual men, the Ministry of Health estimated the rate of HIV in that population at 21.5 per cent, while the national average was 1.5 per cent (ibid.).
However, homosexuals are so afraid of coming out that experts worry that the rate of infection may be higher than reported (AP 31 Mar. 2005).
[Translation]
The discrimination and stigmatization that they are subjected to have a considerable negative impact on their health. "Most MSMs (Men who have Sex with Men) who are kicked out of their home because of their sexual orientation spend the night in bars and hotels, which further exposes them to HIV" (UN 28 Nov. 2005).
Under Senegalese law, homosexual relations are considered to be "unnatural" (ibid.). Therefore, many Senegalese homosexuals shy away from the treatment to which they are entitled for fear of being confronted by rejection and violence (AP 31 Mar. 2005). They do not [translation] "want to visit doctors for fear of being judged by them" (UN 28 Nov. 2005). According to one Senegalese homosexual, [translation] "reception in medical centres is cold and unwelcoming. When homosexuals arrive, health workers make rude comments about their demeanour or clothing, the health workers' words conveying all the hatred they feel for homosexuals" (ibid.). Another homosexual man said that [translation] "doctors make appointments that they do not show up for. Sometimes doctors minimize an infection to avoid having to touch the patient" (ibid.). In addition, some homosexuals think that prevention programs are mostly developed for heterosexuals (ibid.).
According to an Associated Press article posted on the Behind the Mask Website, many Senegalese doctors refuse to treat homosexuals for religious and legal reasons (AP 31 Mar. 2005). One doctor said that [translation] "it is a sin to touch an MSM because prayers would be worthless for 40 days" (UN 28 Nov. 2005). One medical source said that finding doctors to work with the gay community is difficult: [UN English version] "[s]ome people are just plain scared of being associated with [homosexuals] publicly and of having to face a backlash" (ibid. 21 Jan. 2005). However, [translation] "a handful of doctors is fighting to have the therapeutic control of this vulnerable group become one of the national priorities in the fight against HIV/AIDS" (ibid. 28 Nov. 2005). That same article indicated that two associations, And Liguey ("Work together" in Wolof - the most common local language in Senegal) and Bokk Xalaat ("We have the same idea"), whose members are from various regions of Senegal, lobby for access to health care, to HIV/AIDS treatments for Senegalese homosexuals (ibid.).
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
Gay taboos threaten senegal anti-aids push
By Cassandra Vinograd (Associated Press Writer - Dakar, Senegal)
March 31, 2005. Homosexuality is such a deeply ingrained taboo here that it is punishable by law as an act against nature. The threat of violence and rejection, experts say, is scaring gays away from treatment and making them a high-risk group in a country that has been spared the ravages of AIDS seen elsewhere in Africa.
Tears trickle down Serigne's scarred face as he recounts what it's like to be gay in his Muslim west African homeland. He rubs his throat, still sore from the choke-hold of an attack.
"Being a homosexual here means being marginalized ... It's double to be gay and sick with HIV - that's another thing," said Serigne, who isn't infected.
Senegal is estimated to have an HIV infection rate of less than 1 percent, largely due to a public health campaign that includes heavy drug subsidies, media campaigns and even messages from local Muslim leaders encouraging condom use. By comparison, South Africa has a 21.5 percent infection rate.
But Senegalese gays are driven so deeply into the closet that experts fear they are being overlooked - raising the possibility the nation's real infection rate may be higher than reported.
Serigne, 27, who asked to be identified only by his first name, has been attacked twice. The first time, men assaulted him in the street after a newspaper named him as a gay AIDS activist.
"They began to beat and punch me, they threw me on the ground, kicking me. My arm was hurt, my face was completely beaten up, and after they threatened me saying that if I didn't stop defending the gay cause, they would finish by killing me," said Serigne.
While Senegal is a relatively liberal Muslim country, where women rarely wear head scarves and dance clubs are filled each weekend, religious and social mores run against homosexuality. A conviction as an act against nature can bring up to two years in prison and heavy fines.
Doctors say that because gays fear revealing their sexual orientation during medical examinations, many carriers of HIV may be afraid to visit medical facilities and may not know they are infected.
Gay men and doctors say many gay males take wives to mask their relations with other men. That risks increasing the infection rate among heterosexuals, who account for the vast majority of AIDS cases in Africa. A majority of Africa's infected are women.
"The majority of men having sex with men are married. They live their sexuality in a different sort of way," said El Hadji Diouf of the aid group Family Health International.
Compounding the problem, doctors say, is that many physicians refuse to treat gay men for religious and legal reasons.
"It's violence, being afraid to go to the hospital because you know that if you go, the doctor will know that you are a homosexual. And he will reject you," said Dr. Abdoulaye Wade, who is with the AIDS division of Senegal's Ministry of Health.
Wade said he is driven by social obligation to help homosexuals.
"If I find a population that can be infected, or can transmit, I cannot close my eyes, even if there is the risk of social judgment," he said.
Gay men in Senegal say they are forced to lead secret lives. They have no civic organizations to which they can turn for anti-AIDS literature or counseling, or even gay-themed bars or restaurants where they can gather information informally. They also allege that police harass them.
Senegal's one gay group has been barred from meeting, and its requests for gay-targeted anti-AIDS funding has not been answered.
Senegal's gays aren't alone in suffering anti-gay violence and verbal abuse in Africa.
In September, attackers in Sierra Leone raped and murdered a prominent lesbian activist, FannyAnn Eddy. President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe has called gays "worse than pigs and dogs."
"If those close to me and my neighbors know I'm gay, the same thing could happen to me tomorrow," Serigne said of his beatings. "There is a lot of violence here, physical and psychological."
Since his second attack, in January, Serigne has wavered on promises he made to a dead friend to fight for AIDS treatment for gay men in Senegal. Serigne said he wants to continue the struggle, but the threat of violence has dimmed his hopes for success.
"I don't want to betray my promise," he said through tears. "It was on his death bed."
Scandal over gay marriage rocks Senegal
By HAMADOU TIDIANE SY, (NATION)
Feb 05, 2008 21:29 PM (EAT)
In Senegal, a nation where Muslims represent more than 95 per cent of the population, homosexuality has always been a marginal, sensitive and highly taboo affair.
Though, the phenomenon is known and has always existed, it is totally rejected as contrary to morality and religion.
One pro-Islamic NGO, Jamra has issued a statement denouncing the threats against Mr Dieng, the publication director.
But, the NGO also warned the country against the development of ‘‘sexual depravation, caused by the greed for easy money and which threatens the country’s youth”.
The “Goorjigeen” (the name for biologically effeminate people) did exist in Senegalese traditional societies where they were somehow tolerated but not respected nor given any right to exhibit their sexual preferences. They were rather considered as really marginal human beings.
According to popular belief many of the homosexuals who voluntarily engage in same sex practices in the big cities adhere to this way of life simply to make money, and the practices itself is at times easily confused with prostitution.
In local websites and newspapers many people are expressing outrage and shock, saying these “foreign” practices should not be allowed to prosper in the country, while others denounce the hypocrisy of a society which has no courage to face itself.
Last year a group of young female dancers, including Ndèye Guèye considered as one of the top dancers in the country, were arrested and tried for featuring in a video showing suggestive dance moves.
The video was dubbed indecent and compared to pornography by some people.
At the trial, all dancers were released and put “under probation” but the organisers of the private party and the owner of the club where it took place and where the video was shot were sentenced to prison terms.
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