Parliament has called on Senegal this Thursday to annul the regulations that imply "persecution and criminalization of LGBTI people, including the one that doubles prison sentences and the prohibition of any expression related to sexual diversity".
The institutional declaration, supported by PSC-Units, Junts, ERC and Comuns, demands the release of those who have been arrested solely for being part of the collective; that professionals from human rights and public health organizations be allowed to carry out their work without legal obstacles or reprisals, and that access to HIV treatments be ensured for all people who require them.
The text also calls for respect for the right to privacy of individuals investigated or detained for alleged accusations of homosexuality and for those who disseminate this data in public spaces or on social networks to be identified and sanctioned.
Consequently, the Chamber appeals to the international community, especially the EU, the United Nations and the WHO, to implement monitoring and oversight mechanisms and, if the situation so requires, to take measures in the context of human rights violations and public health risks in Senegal.
The declaration recalls that the Generalitat, the Government and European institutions have instruments to pressure Senegal and reverse these policies, considering that it "is a priority country for the Generalitat's development cooperation and the seat of the Government's delegation in West Africa".
The text further emphasizes that it "is also a key partner for the EU, within the framework of the Global Gateway strategy, and for the Government, which maintains a cooperation office there and will allocate 180 million euros in the period 2026-2030".
With this position, the Parliament of Catalonia rejects the approval of regulations that reinforce repression against LGBTI people in Senegal and condemns "any type of persecution, arbitrary detention, stigmatization and institutional or social violence based on sexual orientation or gender identity".