The Free Collective, which shelters abused victims of Senegal’s homophobia, arranged the Dec. 15 visit to Sebikhotane prison.

This article is based on the collective’s report about the visit, during which the activists provided moral support while delivering food and medicines for the prisoners.

The collective’s manager of victims in the Dakar area made arrangements for the visit with a Sebikhotane prison official, the head of the prison infirmary. Three members of the collective met with him, his deputy and the seven inmates.

Souleymane Diouf (pseudonym), a leader of the Free Collective, stated:

“When we arrived at the prison, the detainees greeted us with smiles on their faces. They were happy, as if they had shed a heavy burden. They told us that the prison at Sebikhotane was more welcoming, peaceful, clean and spacious than the Cap Manuel prison where they were previously held.”

During the meeting, the prison official assured the prisoners that, for their safety, their sexual orientation had not been disclosed to other inmates. Because of his professionalism, he said, he would not divulge that information to others.

Diouf similarly advised the prisoners to be careful not to disclosure their sexual orientation to other inmates.

The official praised the visitors both for bringing packages of food to the prisoners and for working to combat stigmatization and discrimination against LGBTQ+ people Read more via African Human Rights Network