Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has denounced Western efforts to promote LGBTQ+ rights as a form of "tyranny ." He is defending a new legislative framework that significantly increases prison sentences for same-sex relations and those who support them.

From five to ten years for 'acts against nature'

The new legislation signed by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye in late March fundamentally alters the legal status of same-sex relations in Senegal. According to the report, the law targets "acts against nature," increasing the potential prison sentence to between five and 10 years, a sharp rise from the previous range of one to five years. This shift effectively upgrades the offense from a misdemeanor to a more severe crime.

Beyond the acts themselves, the law creates new risks for activists and donors. Individuals found guilty of promoting or financing same-sex relationships now face three to seven years of imprisonment. Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko had previously campaigned on the promise to criminalize these relations before ascending to his current influential role in 2024.

The 135-0 parliamentary landslide

The legislative push was met with almost total consensus within the Senegalese government. The law passed with an overwhelming majority, as 135 MPs voted in favor, zero voted against, and only three abstained. This political unity follows a period of increased state pressure on the LGBTQ+ community, including a series of high-profile detentions.

As the report says, the legislative move followed arrests in February involving 12 men. among those detained and charged with "acts against nature" were a journalist and two public figures. human Rights Watch has noted a corresponding rise in hostility toward LGBT people in Senegal, observing that previous attempts by MPs to raise penalties had failed until this recent success.

The wave from Uganda's death penalty to Burkina Faso

Senegal's crackdown is not an isolated event but part of a tightening legal environment across the African continent. in 2023, Uganda implemented some of the world's most severe anti-homosexuality laws, which include the possibility of the death penalty for certain same-sex acts. This trend has continued with Mali in 2024 and Burkina Faso, where parliament approved a bill banning homosexual acts last September.

This regional shift suggests a groiwng alignment among several African nations in rejecting Western-led human rights norms. Ghana is currently planning to re-introduce its own anti-homosexuality bill, a move that activists warn will jeopardize basic safety and freedom. By framing these laws as a defense against foreign values, leaders like Ousmane Sonko are positioning themselves as protectors of national sovereignty against external cultural imposition.

Volker Türk's warning and the definition of 'promoting'

The international community has reacted with alarm to the Senegalese legislation. uN human rights chief Volker Türk described the new law as "deeply worrying," stating that the legislation flies "in the face of sacrosanct human rights." Despite this, Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has remained firm in his rejection of any attempts to halt the law's application.

However, several critical details remain unclear. The source does not specify how the Senegalese government intends to define the "promotion" or "financing" of same-sex relationships, leaving a wide margin for interpretation that could target international NGOs or local human rights defenders. Furthermore, while the report mentions the arrests of public figures, it remains to be seen if the government will target specific political opponents using these new, harsher sentencing guidelines.