Senegal rejects bill to double jail time for homosexuality

By BABACAR DIONE
Associated Press

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Senegal’s National Assembly has rejected a proposed law that would have doubled the jail time for gays and lesbians if convicted of homosexual acts. Proponents of the bill, though, have vowed to press ahead with their efforts after the proposed measure was formally rejected Wednesday. Homosexuality is already criminalized, and legislators belonging to President Macky Sall’s coalition had said the measure was unnecessary. The maximum penalty is currently five years in prison. While prosecutions have been rare, human rights activists have expressed alarm about an increase in the number of arrests of sexual minorities. The moderate West African nation is predominantly Muslim and social ostracization of gays and lesbians is common.