Senegal proposes tougher anti-LGBTQ law

Those found guilty of engaging in “acts against nature” will face up to ten years in prison and a maximum fine of $17,953, the country’s PM has said

Senegal’s prime minister has proposed new legislation to toughen penalties for same-sex relations, with those found guilty facing up to ten years in jail.

Same-sex relations are already illegal in the West African country and punishable by up to five years in prison.

In an address to parliament on Tuesday, Ousmane Sonko described homosexuality as “acts against nature” and said critics will “go to their Western masters” to oppose the LGBTQ crackdown.

The prime minister told lawmakers that the draft law will increase the jail term from five to ten years for people who engage in “unnatural acts.”

“If an act is committed with a minor, it will attract the maximum penalty,” he said, adding that offenders could also face fines of up to 10 million CFA francs ($17,953).

“Any public representation… intended to promote homosexuality, bisexuality, or transsexuality… will be punished with imprisonment of three to seven years and a fine.”

READ MORE: Another African state bans homosexuality

Earlier this month, 12 men were arrested and charged with “acts against nature” and the alleged intentional transmission of HIV, amid what rights groups described as a worsening climate of fear in the former French colony.

Human Rights Watch has labeled Senegal’s anti-LGBTQ measures “homophobic,” warning that the proposed legislation could further endanger an already marginalized community.

Same-sex relations are a crime in several African countries. Uganda provoked Western condemnation after passing an anti-LGBTQ law in May 2023 that imposes the death penalty for certain same-sex acts and up to 20 years in prison for the promotion of homosexuality. The US responded with sanctions and removed Uganda from a key duty-free trade program, while the World Bank froze new loans.

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Last September, Burkina Faso’s lawmakers passed a law on marriage and family values, effectively banning homosexuality in the West African country. Offenders face penalties including prison sentences and fines ranging from two million XOF (about $3,200) to ten million XOF (about $16,000).

Sonko, who became prime minister in 2024, has repeatedly criticized Western efforts to promote LGBTQ rights, calling them incompatible with Senegalese values. The draft legislation has been approved by the council of ministers and now awaits a parliamentary vote, where the ruling party holds a majority.