NIAMEY, July 1 (Reuters) – The West African country of Niger has arrested at least 16 people after introducing prison sentences and fines for same-sex sexual acts, a judicial source told Reuters.
• The source said that high-ranking officials working for customs and police forces as well as several civilians had been arrested.
• The official gazette dated March 27 says that sexual relations with a person of the same sex are punishable by prison terms of five to 10 years and fines of 10 million to 100 million CFA francs ($18,000 to $180,000).
• “The operation is ongoing. It will target certain facilities where people of the same sex live together,” the source said, referring to army barracks and college campuses.
• According to the document seen by Reuters, people found to be in a same-sex marriage could receive prison sentences of 10 to 20 years.
• People operating LGBTQ organisations will be fined 50 million to 500 million CFA francs, the document says.
• A government spokesperson did not reply to a request for comment.
• West African countries including Senegal and Burkina Faso have passed anti-LGBTQ legislation in recent months. In Niger, the law previously banned same-sex marriage but did not include penalties for same-sex relations.($1 = 569.2500 CFA francs)
(Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Anait Miridzhanian; Editing by Jessica Donati and Hugh Lawson)
