Seven men were jailed in Senegal for being gay

A court in Dakar, Senegal sent seven men to prison for six months after they were caught having sex during a raid, the BBC reported.

The men were slapped a jail sentence even though a prosecution witness – the mother of one of the men, who had told authorities her son was gay – was a no-show at the trial.

Defence lawyer Abdoul Daff said the case should have collapsed after the mother failed to turn up.

“There was neither material evidence nor testimony in order to corroborate the claims,” he said. “So, we take note of this and we will see what to do next.”

In the west African country, homosexuality is a crime punishable by up to five years behind bars and up to $2,500 (£1,500) in fines.

According to the BBC, gay rights activist Djamil Bangoura from the group Prudence expressed disappointment in the verdict. He said, “It is such a pity to see these Senegalese men condemned in front of everyone just because they are gay.”