Senegal will host Africa's first Olympic sporting event, welcoming about 2,700 young athletes for the fourth Youth Olympic Games. (Olympics pic)DAKAR: Senegal should halt its crackdown on same-sex relations, which calls into question the country's compliance with the Olympic charter ahead of hosting the Youth Olympic Games, Human Rights Watch said Monday.
In March, the west African nation adopted new legislation doubling the maximum penalty for same-sex relations to up to 10 years in prison.
The deeply religious, predominantly Muslim country has experienced a wave of homophobia in recent months.
Dozens of individuals have been arrested on suspicion of same-sex relations, including 71 men who in August were referred to trial for "acts against nature", a term used to refer to same-sex relations.
