During the plenary session on Wednesday examining the bill amending Article 319 of the Penal Code, MP Tafsir Thioye called for greater caution in adopting the text, believing that the current context requires in-depth reflection.

According to him, Senegal is going through a difficult period, marked in particular by social tensions during the month of Ramadan. In this climate, he mentioned arrests related to homosexuality as well as other worrying situations, including cases where people are intentionally transmitting HIV.

The parliamentarian, however, deplored the division that is emerging around this bill. "I regret the division surrounding this law," he declared to his fellow members of parliament.

The point of contention: the issue of denunciation

For Tafsir Thioye, the main point of contention concerns the last paragraph of the text, relating to the issue of denunciation. He believes that this provision deserves clarification in order to avoid any confusion in its practical application.

The MP also warned against rushing the adoption of the text. "There is an eagerness that could prevent us from achieving the desired results. We should take our time," he argued from the podium.

In his speech, he recalled that, in the Senegalese legal system, marriage is institutionalized by the Constitution as the union between two individuals of opposite sexes: man and woman.

Furthermore, Tafsir Thioye advocated for a "clear and solid" law, capable of effectively addressing the difficulties related to what he considers a scourge, particularly by clarifying the grey areas surrounding denunciation and whistleblowing.