Lawmakers in Senegal have approved a new bill doubling the maximum prison sentence for same-sex sexual acts and criminalizing the promotion of homosexuality.
The legislation was adopted with 135 votes in favour, none against and three abstentions, fulfilling a campaign promise of the government led by Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko.
Senegal’s penal code already punished “acts against nature” with up to five years in prison. The new law increases the penalty to 10 years in prison and fines of up to 10 million CFA francs. It also states that judges cannot grant suspended sentences or reduce penalties below the minimum.
The legislation defines “acts against nature” to include homosexuality, bisexuality, transsexuality, zoophilia and necrophilia, and introduces penalties for those found promoting or financing such acts.
The vote follows demonstrations in Dakar by supporters of the measure. According to the International Federation for Human Rights, at least 27 men were arrested between February 9 and 24 on suspicion of violating the existing law.
The development comes amid a broader trend of anti-LGBT legislation in the region. In 2025, Burkina Faso criminalized same-sex relations for the first time, while lawmakers in Ghana are considering a bill that would increase penalties and criminalize the promotion of LGBTQ+ activities.
