Senegalese president stands by anti-gay law

DAKAR, Senegal -- Senegalese President Macky Sall defended his refusal to decriminalize homosexuality, one day after publicly clashing with President Barack Obama on the issue at a joint news conference.

In an interview, Sall said it was important for other countries to refrain from imposing their values beyond their borders.

He compared his position on homosexuality to other countries' positions on polygamy, which is widely practiced in Senegal.

"We don't ask the Europeans to be polygamists," Sall said. "We like polygamy in our country, but we can't impose it in yours. Because the people won't understand it, they won't accept it. It's the same thing."

Senegal's penal code calls for prison sentences of up to 5 years and fines of up to $3,000 for committing "an improper or unnatural act with a person of the same sex."

Despite the law, Sall maintained that gay people were not persecuted in Senegal, and were prosecuted only if they violated the law. He also said the population, while opposed to homosexuality, was not actively intolerant.

Local activists strongly disagree, pointing out that more than a dozen gay people are in jail for no other reason than their sexual orientation. -- AP