Niger’s military authorities have launched what critics describe as a “witch-hunt” targeting LGBTQ+ people, arresting at least 40 individuals under a newly enacted legal framework.

Reports say the crackdown follows the adoption of a penal code that criminalizes homosexuality, and many LGBTQ+ people are now living in fear of violence, further arrests, and imprisonment. Organizations that provide HIV services have raised alarms that the new environment may trigger an increase in HIV transmission, as people avoid health facilities and support networks.

Health and advocacy groups say the arrests have also forced some service providers to halt or reduce operations, leaving vulnerable communities with fewer options for testing, prevention, and treatment. The situation has prompted renewed calls for protections against discrimination and for authorities to halt coercive enforcement targeting LGBTQ+ individuals.