Senegal: Homosexuals fleeing to France after law imposing ten-year prison sentences

Herz — World Desk · 26 July 2026 at 09:07 · 30s summary · 3 min read

What we know

In Senegal, homosexuality is now punishable by ten years in prison, according to Le Nouvel Obs. Faced with this law, homosexual persons are fleeing the country to seek asylum in France.

Le Nouvel Obs interviewed 'Chérif' (pseudonym), an undocumented man now in France. He describes pervasive hate speech in Senegal and an atmosphere he describes as 'suffocating'.

at home, in the street, on television

— 'Chérif' (pseudonym), Senegalese homosexual interviewed by Le Nouvel Obs, on hate speech

STOP homophobie, a French association with official public interest status that fights discrimination based on sexual orientation, has received a surge of distress calls from Senegal in recent months.

all homosexuals hide — it's like living in prison

— A 34-year-old man seeking to leave Senegal, cited by STOP homophobie

Forest fires: the crisis continues near Bordeaux

On July 26, 2026, forest fires continue to ravage the Bordeaux region (southwestern France), forcing residents to evacuate their homes.

On July 25, according to French and Spanish authorities, more than 250,000 people had been evacuated: 197,000 in France, including tens of thousands from Bordeaux and its western suburbs, and tens of thousands in Spain.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez called the operation 'probably' the largest peacetime evacuation ever carried out in the country. The fires have caused no deaths, but dozens of French firefighters have been injured.

In Spain, authorities declared a state of national emergency for the forest fires — an absolute first in the country's history.