Senegal Doubles Prison Sentences for Same-Sex Relations Amid Anti-LGBTQ Crackdown

Senegal’s parliament passed a law doubling prison sentences for same-sex relations to 10 years and criminalizing advocacy or financing of such relationships. The bill, awaiting President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s signature, comes amid arrests of dozens of men and rising social and religious pressure against the LGBTQ community.

Senegal’s parliament on Wednesday approved legislation that significantly increases the penalties for same-sex relations, effectively doubling the maximum prison sentence to 10 years. The new law, which still requires the signature of President Bassirou Diomaye Faye to come into force, also criminalizes the promotion or financing of same-sex relationships, marking a continuation of the government’s crackdown on the country’s LGBTQ community.
The bill passed overwhelmingly in the National Assembly, with 135 lawmakers voting in favor, none opposing, and three abstaining. It establishes punishments of five to ten years for acts described as “against nature,” a legal term used to refer to same-sex sexual activity, compared with one to five years under previous legislation. In addition, anyone found advocating for same-sex relations faces three to seven years in prison. The law also imposes fines ranging from two million to ten million CFA francs ($3,500 to $17,600), a sharp increase from the prior range of 100,000 to 1.5 million CFA francs. Maximum sentences are to be applied when the act involves a minor.
Since February, Senegalese authorities have arrested dozens of men under the country’s existing anti-LGBTQ laws, including 12 individuals at the start of a wave of recent detentions. Some of the arrested included local celebrities, generating wide media attention. Reports suggest that arrests have often relied on accusations and phone searches, with the names of those detained frequently made public. In some cases, individuals have also been accused of deliberately transmitting HIV, further intensifying public debate about the criminalization of same-sex relations.
The new legislation additionally penalizes anyone who accuses another person of engaging in same-sex activity “without proof,” reflecting lawmakers’ concern over false or malicious claims. During parliamentary debates, lawmaker Diaraye Ba declared, “Homosexuals will no longer breathe in this country. Homosexuals will no longer have freedom of expression in this country,” remarks that were met with applause from some colleagues.
Same-sex relations have long been a controversial issue in Senegal, a Muslim-majority country in West Africa, where LGBTQ advocacy is often criticized as the imposition of Western values. Religious associations have staged demonstrations calling for stricter penalties, and public sentiment generally remains strongly opposed to homosexuality. Social media platforms have been flooded with homophobic messages, calls to expose individuals accused of same-sex activity, and highly publicized hashtags and phrases, including “Big homo clean-up” and “Bisexuals, walking dangers.”
The legislation was presented to parliament by Ousmane Sonko, who became the country’s influential prime minister in 2024. Prior to his premiership, Sonko had pledged to classify same-sex relations as a more serious offense, but the new law maintains its status as a misdemeanour. Critics have accused him of failing to fully follow through on his earlier promises.
Observers note that the crackdown is politically advantageous in a country where homosexuality is widely regarded as deviant. Senegal is one of at least 32 African countries with laws criminalizing same-sex relations, with punishments ranging from fines and imprisonment to the death penalty in some nations, including Uganda, Mauritania, and Somalia. Other countries, such as Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, and Sierra Leone, impose sentences ranging from ten years to life in prison.
The legislation has sparked fierce debate both within Senegal and internationally, raising concerns from human rights organizations about the treatment of LGBTQ individuals, the restriction of freedom of expression, and the growing climate of fear and public scrutiny faced by the country’s sexual minorities.