Senegal’s government has submitted a bill to parliament proposing significantly harsher penalties for same-sex relations and the advocacy of homosexuality.
Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko introduced the legislation, which would raise the maximum prison sentence for same-sex acts from five years to ten years.
The draft law also prescribes three to seven years’ imprisonment for anyone who “engages in advocacy for same-sex relations.”
Addressing lawmakers, Sonko stated: “Anyone committing an act against nature will be punished by five to 10 years’ imprisonment,” compared with the current one to five years under existing law.
“If the act is committed with a minor, the maximum sentence will be imposed,” he added.
Ministers approved the bill last week and forwarded it to parliament following a wave of arrests targeting individuals accused of same-sex relations, including two local celebrities and a prominent journalist.
The proposed changes follow years of sustained protests by religious organisations demanding stricter legal measures against homosexuality.
Parliament has not yet scheduled a date for debate or a vote on the bill.
If passed, the law would mark one of the toughest stances on same-sex relations and related advocacy in West Africa, intensifying penalties and extending criminalisation to public expression or promotion of homosexuality.
The development comes amid ongoing regional and international debates over LGBTQ+ rights, personal freedoms, and cultural values in Senegal and across the continent.
