9 Senegalese Men Appeal ‘Unnatural Acts’ Ruling

senegalflag

“Nine Senegalese men who were sentenced to eight years in prison for “indecent conduct and unnatural acts” are appealing against the decision. The men, most of whom belong to a group set up to combat HIV/AIDS, appeared at the Dakar Court of Appeal yesterday with their attorneys. The men’s counsel argued that there was no material proof for the accusations, no specific complainant had filed charges against the men and that the time of their arrests (after 10pm) was illegal. The prosecution has not contested the defence plea. The nine men were arrested in December last year at the apartment of Diadji Diouf, a prolific LGBT leader, and sentenced in January.” [Pink News]

What do you think of this post?

LOL (0) WTF (0) Hot (0) More Please (1)

Jump to 3 Comments

By: editor editor
On: Apr 8, 2009
Tagged: AIDS, News, Senegal, World

Email This

3 Comments

No. 1 · HYHYBT

I hope they get off and all, but the notion of not being allowed to arrest people after 10 PM… do they apply that to *real* crimes as well?

Posted: Apr 9, 2009 at 12:46 am · @Reply Reply to this comment

· [Flag?]

No. 2 · strumpetwindsock · Member · 1994 comments

@HYHYBT:
I think it’s damn civilized, actually. Maybe we could learn something from them.

Posted: Apr 10, 2009 at 1:41 am · @Reply Reply to this comment

· [Flag?]

No. 3 · Alec

Update: Good news, their convictions and sentences were overturned on appeal: http://www.google.com/hostedne.....ATWltbRiWw

Dakar’s court of appeal on Monday overturned jail convictions for homosexuality against nine Senegalese nationals and ordered their immediate release.

The chairman of the appeal court Bara Niang annulled “the official statement in the case and the subsequent procedure” and ordered the arrest warrants against the men lifted.

The men, who were sentenced by a lower court to eight years in prison for homosexual conduct, were due to be released immediately, their lawyers said.

Part of a group involved in HIV/AIDS education, they were convicted of “indecent acts against nature” and membership of a criminal organisation after their arrests in December at a private apartment in a Dakar suburb.

Defence lawyers argued at the beginning of the appeal last week that the police report on which the accusations against the men was based relied mainly on anonymous tip-offs. In addition they said the men were not caught in the act as the prosecution had suggested during the trial.

Posted: Apr 20, 2009 at 9:50 am · @Reply Reply to this comment

· [Flag?]

Add your Comment