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Senegal's President Signs Harsher Anti-LGBTQ Law
The law also criminalizes promoting or financing same-sex relationships and raises fines to 10 million CFA francs, amid a crackdown on the LGBTQ community.
- On Monday, March 31, 2026, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye signed legislation doubling the maximum prison term for same-sex sexual acts to 10 years, also criminalizing promotion or financing of homosexuality with three- to seven-year jail terms.
- Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko championed the measure, fulfilling a 2024 campaign promise; Parliament overwhelmingly approved the bill on March 11, 2026, following intense pressure from groups promoting Islamic values.
- Under the new law, fines rise to a maximum of 10 million CFA francs , while legislation expands criminal definitions for 'acts against nature' and penalizes those who make baseless accusations.
- UN rights chief Volker Turk called the law 'deeply worrying,' stating it 'flies in the face of the sacrosanct human rights,' while advocates warn the measure could restrict HIV/AIDS service access.
- Senegal joins at least 32 of Africa's 54 countries with laws prohibiting same-sex relations, positioning the nation among approximately 10 African states imposing sentences of 10 years or more.
34 Articles
34 Articles
Senegal enacts law doubling jail time for same-sex relations
Senegal's official journal on Tuesday showed that President Bassirou Diomaye Faye had formally signed into law new legislation on same-sex relations that have proved contentious abroad despite broad political support within the majority Muslim country's parliament. Several human rights groups had voiced concerns about the bill, including warning that it would dissuade people at risk from illnesses like HIV/AIDS from seeking help. UN High Commiss…
While this repressive law had been adopted by the overwhelming majority of the deputies of the National Assembly, on 11 March, arrests of alleged homosexuals were increasing in the country.
Senegal doubles prison sentence length for same-sex relations
Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has signed into law legislation doubling the maximum penalty for same-sex relations, making them punishable by up to 10 years in prison amid a crackdown on the country's gay community.
This law was published this Tuesday in the Official Gazette and also provides for criminal sanctions for the promotion and financing of homosexuality in this West African country.
The law doubles prison sentences punishing homosexuality and punishes its "promotion" and financing. Since February, new arrests have been reported daily in the press.
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