Banjul/Dakar – 13 February 2026
Committee For Justice (CFJ) expresses grave concern over the recent arrests in Senegal linked to a transnational child sexual exploitation network reportedly operating between Senegal and France. According to credible reports, 14 suspects have been arrested in connection with a network accused of raping and sexually exploiting minors, including boys under the age of 15, and allegedly facilitating the intentional transmission of HIV during acts of abuse.
The reported facts are deeply disturbing. Authorities allege that vulnerable children were coerced into unprotected sexual acts with adult men, that the abuse was filmed, and that perpetrators received payment. If confirmed, these allegations amount not only to sexual violence and trafficking but also to aggravated crimes involving the deliberate endangerment of children’s health and lives.
CFJ is particularly alarmed by reports that some victims may have been exposed to HIV because of the abuse. The intersection between sexual violence and potential HIV transmission represents a severe violation of children’s rights to health, dignity, and protection from torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.
These cases once again expose systemic vulnerabilities affecting children in Senegal, particularly those living in poverty, in informal religious education systems, or without adequate family protection. Previous documentation by organizations such as Human Rights Watch has highlighted sexual abuse and exploitation of children in various institutional and community settings, underscoring long-standing protection gaps.
CFJ recalls that Senegal is bound by its obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child to ensure effective protection from all forms of sexual exploitation and abuse. These obligations include prompt, impartial investigations; prosecution of perpetrators; access to medical and psychosocial support for victims; and safeguards to prevent recurrence.
CFJ Calls on the Authorities to:
- Conduct a transparent, independent, and thorough investigation into the full scope of the abuse, including any cross-border dimensions.
- Ensure that all victims receive immediate access to confidential HIV testing, treatment, trauma-informed psychosocial support, and long-term care.
- Fully prosecute all perpetrators of the law, ensuring accountability without discrimination or political interference.
- Strengthen child protection systems, including oversight mechanisms in educational and religious institutions.
- Enhance cross-border cooperation with French authorities to dismantle any remaining elements of the network.
CFJ also calls on civil society organizations and community leaders to break the silence surrounding sexual abuse, combat stigma against survivors particularly in relation to HIV and prioritize child safeguarding mechanisms.
Children must never be treated as commodities, nor exposed to life-threatening health risks through exploitation. The gravity of the alleged HIV-related elements in this case demands urgent, sustained action.
CFJ will continue to monitor developments closely and stands in solidarity with survivors and their families.
