French Euro MP slams brutal anti-LGBTQ+ campaign in Senegal

Manon Aubry, a French Member of the European Parliament representing La France Insoumise, has issued a sharp condemnation of the escalating crackdown on LGBTQ+ individuals in Senegal. She is urging immediate action from France to protect those targeted and support victims of what she describes as state-sanctioned persecution.

New anti-LGBTQ+ law fuels violent crackdown

In a strongly worded statement, the left-wing MEP condemned Senegal’s recent legislative push that criminalizes consensual same-sex relations. Under the revised penal code, individuals convicted of “acts against nature” now face sentences ranging from five to ten years in prison. Aubry labeled the law as a deliberate campaign of intimidation and violence against the LGBTQ+ community.

“There is no justification for such cruelty. Love is not a crime. Senegal’s decision to escalate persecution against its own citizens is appalling and demands a firm response,” she stated.

Call for urgent diplomatic intervention

Aubry went further by singling out the case of a detained French national, calling for his immediate release and warning that France must step up to protect vulnerable individuals. “Senegal’s LGBTQ+ community is under siege. France has a moral obligation to intervene—both for its own citizens and for those fleeing persecution who seek refuge,” she emphasized.

Aubry also pointed to the rising number of Senegalese LGBTQ+ individuals seeking asylum abroad, highlighting the urgent need for international protection and solidarity from European governments.