Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has denounced Western attempts to influence global social norms, specifically regarding LGBTQ+ rights. This follows the implementation of a new law that increases prison sentences for same-sex relations from a maximum of five years to ten.

From five-year terms to a decade in prison

The new Senegalese legal framework significantly increases the penalties for what the government terms "acts against nature." According to the report, the maximum prison sentence for same-sex relations has jumped from a five-year cap to a decade of imprisonment. This represents a major escalation from the previous legal status, where such acts were classified as misdemeanors rather than more serious offenses.

Beyond the primary charges, the legislation introduces new penalties of three to seven years for anyone found guilty of promoting or financing these relationships. As reported by the source, this expansion of the law targets not just the individuals involved in same-sex acts, but also those who provide financial or social support for the community. This move follows a period of increased crackdown on Senegal's gay community, including the detention of several individuals earlier this year.

The 135-to-0 parliamentary mandate

The legislative shift received overwhelming support within the Senegalese government. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye signed the legislation into law in late March, folloiwng a decisive vote in parliament.. The report notes that 135 members of parliament voted in favor of the bill, with zero votes against and only three abstentions.

This political momentum follows Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko's influential rise to power in 2024. Before ascending to the premiership, Sonko had campaigned on a platform that included criminalizing same-sex relations. The overwhelming parliamentary majority suggests that the administration's stance is deeply aligned with the current legislative priorities in Senegal.

A regional pattern from Uganda to Ghana

Senegal's legislative move is part of a broader trend of anti-LGBTQ laws appearing across the African continent. For instance, Burkina Faso's parliament approved a ban on homosexual acts last September, following similar legislative steps taken by Mali in 2024. In Uganda, the situation has escalated even further, with 2023 laws allowing for the death penalty for certain same-sex activities.

Human Rights Watch has noted a rise in hostility toward LGBT people in the region, and activists in Ghana are currently planning to re-introduce anti-homosexuality bills. This pattern suggests that the push for stricter laws is not an isolated incident in Senegal, but part of a wider regional movement that often frames LGBTQ+ rights as a tool of foreign imposition.

Will the 12 men detained in February face the new decade-long sentences?

While the law is now active, several critical questions remain regarding its immediate application and the safety of those targeted. it remains unclear how the new "financing" clause will be interpreted by Senegalese prosecutors or how it might affect the operations of human rights organizations. Additionally, the status of the 12 men—including a journalist and two public figures—who were arrested in February for "acts against nature" remains a focal point of concern.

The source presents a clear divide between the government's position and international observers. while Prime Minister Sonko views Western pressure as "tyranny," UN human rights chief Volker Türk has desscribed the new Senegalese law as "deeply worrying," accusing the legislation of flying "in the face of sacrosanct human rights." It is yet to be seen how the international community will respond to this hardening of Senegalese law.