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Two Senegalese celebrities \u2014 a TV presenter and a singer \u2014 have been arrested and charged with committing \u201cunnatural acts,\u201d a crime referring to gay sex, the police in Senegal said on Sunday.<\/p>\n
The celebrities \u2014 Pape Cheikh Diallo, a beloved TV presenter, and Djiby Dram\u00e9, a musician \u2014 appeared alongside 10 other men in a court outside the capital, Dakar, on Monday. The police said in a statement that the case began with investigations into an H.I.V.-positive individual who had \u201cconfessed to knowingly infecting about ten people he had contacted, primarily through WhatsApp groups.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was unclear who among the 12 men had made the admission or whether Mr. Diallo and Mr. Dram\u00e9 had been charged with the intention of spreading H.I.V., the virus that causes AIDS. Neither man entered a plea. A Senegalese judge was appointed to investigate.<\/p>\n
A lawyer for Mr. Diallo, Abdou Dieng, said, \u201cA lot of what\u2019s being said in the media about Pape Cheikh is not true.\u201d Other lawyers in court declined to comment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
The arrests are part of a recent crackdown<\/a> on homosexuality in the country and occurred as many African countries<\/a> have experienced a surge<\/a> in anti-gay laws and policies. They are Senegal\u2019s most high-profile anti-gay cases under a government that came to power<\/a> in 2024 on a wave of youth support<\/a>.<\/p>\n Senegal has become increasingly intolerant of gay and gender-fluid people in recent decades, experts say. Homosexuality is punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of more than $2,700. But citizen groups have campaigned for harsher punishments<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThis case is happening in a context that is very charged, politically and culturally,\u201d said Babacar M\u2019Baye, a professor<\/a> at Kent State University who has written about sexuality in Senegal. \u201cThere are groups that misrepresent the issue of homosexuality as something abnormal. The homophobic sentiments are extremely strong.\u201d<\/p>\n Mr. Diallo, 42, interviews celebrities on TFM, the country\u2019s most-watched television channel, which was founded by the musician Youssou N\u2019Dour<\/a>. With three million followers on TikTok<\/a>, Mr. Diallo is especially popular among young people, and his face is ubiquitous in Senegal, staring down from billboards across the West African country.<\/p>\n Mr. Dram\u00e9, who is in his 40s and sings mostly in the Sonink\u00e9 and Bambara languages, is popular with an older crowd. He often performs with his wife<\/a>, the singer Maman Ch\u00e9rie, and their duets are staples at Senegalese weddings. He is known for hosting an annual high-society gala \u2014 a celebration of Bazin<\/a>, a luxurious damask cotton fabric worn<\/a> for special occasions across West Africa.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Both celebrities are viewed as highly respectable family men. Mr. M\u2019Baye, the professor, said their fame could influence how fans view homosexuality. \u201cThere\u2019s going to be some scapegoating of the celebrity class, but also awareness-raising,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople may wonder whether we shouldn\u2019t be more tolerant.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n