By Enyichukwu Enemanna
A bill before Senegal’s parliament seeking to double the maximum prison term for same-sex acts to 10 years and criminalise any efforts to promote homosexuality was on Wednesday passed into law, fulfilling a key campaign promise of President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko who came to power in 2024.
135 members of parliament voted in favour of the law, no vote was received against while three lawmakers were absent.
Senegal’s penal code already carries an article, last amended in 1966, imposing up to five years’ jail and fines of up to 1,500,000 CFA francs ($2,700) for “acts against nature”.
The new version however doubles the maximum term and allows for fines of up to 10 million CFA francs.
Under the law, a judge may not grant a suspended sentence, or use their discretion to reduce a prison term below the minimum.
It specifies that acts against nature relate to homosexuality, bisexuality, “transsexuality”, zoophilia and necrophilia. Those found guilty of promoting or financing such acts also face prison time.
Imam Babacar Sylla, leader of And Samm Jikko Yi, a network of Islamic and civil society organizations, urged Faye to sign the bill into law as soon as possible.
“The longer it takes, the more complicated it will be. And these people, whom I consider a public danger, will continue to escape,” he said.
In the weeks leading up to Wednesday’s vote, supporters of the bill, including lawmakers from the ruling PASTEF party, organised demonstrations in Dakar in which participants shouted “No to homosexuality!” and held signs with rainbows crossed out.
The law, a key campaign promise of Faye was sent to the parliament after a wave of arrests over alleged same-sex relationships, despite an existing law criminalising it.
However, rights groups warn the move could worsen discrimination and violence against sexual minorities. Human Rights Watch researcher Larissa Kojoué said the proposed changes were worrying.
“Criminalising same-sex conduct and arresting people for their sexual orientation violates multiple internationally protected rights, including equality and non-discrimination.”
