United States Department of State

Senegal United States Department of State

The most significant human rights problems included prison overcrowding, lengthy pretrial detention, and corruption, particularly in the judiciary. Other major human rights problems included: physical abuse, including torture, by security forces; arbitrary arrests; questionable investigative detention; lack of judicial independence; restrictions on freedom of speech, press, and assembly; rape, domestic violence, sexual harassment of and discrimination against women; female genital mutilation/cutting; child abuse; early and forced marriage; infanticide; violence and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) persons; discrimination against persons with HIV/AIDS; trafficking in persons; and child labor, including forced child labor. The government continued efforts to investigate and hold to account former Wade administration officials accused of corruption. Nevertheless, impunity for crimes and abuses committed by government and security officials remained a problem.