At 51 years old, Matar Ndiaga Seck, long regarded in certain political circles as a close ally of Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, has been taken into custody by the Criminal Investigations Division (DIC) amid allegations tied to « acts against nature ».
Arrest follows regional police alert
The detention comes after a warrant was issued by police in Linguère, a town in the Louga region of northern Senegal. Investigators claim multiple pieces of evidence have emerged in connection with a broader case involving at least twenty individuals arrested across the Djoloff area.
Legal framework remains unclear
As of now, Senegalese authorities have not released a comprehensive breakdown of the charges or the current status of the judicial process. The vague phrasing « acts against nature » points directly to Article 319 of the Senegalese Penal Code, which criminalizes same-sex relations.
New anti-LGBTQ+ laws take effect
Senegal recently enacted stricter legislation on March 31, 2026, broadening the scope of punishable offenses related to homosexuality. The revised law increases maximum prison sentences to ten years and extends penalties to include « promotion » of same-sex relationships.
Since these amendments took hold, reports indicate over a hundred arrests have been recorded nationwide. A French national remains detained in Senegal as part of a comparable case since February 14. Support groups like STOP homophobie have mobilized legal and emergency assistance, with their international hotline receiving over 3,000 distress calls from victims of persecution.
