Senegal’s parliament on Wednesday approved legislation that doubles the maximum prison sentence for same-sex relations to 10 years, as authorities intensify a crackdown on the country’s gay community.
The bill, which now awaits the signature of President Bassirou Diomaye Faye to become law, was passed by a large majority in the National Assembly and also criminalises the promotion or financing of same-sex relationships.
Under the legislation, “acts against nature”—a term used to refer to same-sex relations—will carry prison terms of five to 10 years, up from the previous penalty of one to five years. It also imposes three to seven years in prison for anyone advocating same-sex relations.
Lawmakers approved the measure after several hours of debate by a vote of 135 in favour, with none opposed and three abstentions. During the session, lawmaker Diaraye Ba said, “Homosexuals will no longer breathe in this country. Homosexuals will no longer have freedom of expression in this country,” drawing applause from some colleagues.
The new law also penalises individuals who accuse others of same-sex offences “without proof.” Maximum sentences will apply if the act involves a minor. Financial penalties have also been increased, with fines ranging from two million to 10 million CFA francs ($3,500 to $17,600), compared with the previous range of 100,000 to 1.5 million CFA francs.
Media reports say dozens of men have been detained under Senegal’s anti-LGBTQ laws since February, when police arrested 12 men, including two local celebrities, in the first wave of recent arrests. Detentions are frequently based on accusations and phone searches, with the names of suspects often made public.
Some detainees have also been accused of deliberately transmitting HIV, a claim that has further intensified debate over same-sex relations in the country.
LGBTQ issues have long been contentious in Senegal, where gay-rights advocacy is often criticised as an attempt by Western countries to impose foreign values. Religious organisations in the Muslim-majority West African nation have staged demonstrations demanding harsher penalties.
The legislation was presented to parliament by Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, who had pledged before taking office in 2024 to criminalise same-sex relations as a felony rather than a misdemeanour. However, the new law retains its classification as a misdemeanour, prompting opposition figures to accuse Sonko of failing to fulfil that promise.
In recent weeks, social media in Senegal has been flooded with homophobic messages and calls to expose individuals accused of same-sex activity. Highly publicised arrests have produced headlines such as “Big homo clean-up” and “Bisexuals, walking dangers.”
Some reports have also blurred the distinction between arrests related to same-sex relations and a separate child abuse case, in which investigators dismantled a network accused of sexually abusing minors and detained 14 suspects.
Crackdowns on same-sex relations remain politically popular in Senegal, where homosexuality is widely regarded as deviant. Across Africa, at least 32 of the continent’s 54 countries have laws criminalising same-sex relations. Uganda, Mauritania and Somalia impose the death penalty, while roughly 10 countries or territories—including Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania and Sierra Leone—hand down prison terms ranging from 10 years to life.
