Senegal’s Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has introduced a draft law that would increase the maximum prison sentence for same-sex practices and other acts deemed “unnatural” from five to 10 years, as part of a broader tightening of legislation affecting LGBT individuals.
Addressing the National Assembly, Sonko said the proposed measure would apply to all sexual acts between two people of the same sex. The maximum 10-year sentence would apply in cases involving a person under the age of 21. Convictions could also carry fines ranging from 2 million to 10 million CFA francs (approximately $3,590 to $17,953).
The draft law has already been approved by the Council of Ministers and now awaits ratification by parliament. No date has yet been set for the vote. Sonko called on lawmakers across party lines to support the proposal and accused Western actors of promoting LGBT rights in Senegal and fueling political controversy.
Human rights organizations have raised concerns. Larissa Kojoué, a researcher at Human Rights Watch, said the bill could further endanger individuals who already face stigma and violence.
The announcement follows recent actions by Senegal’s gendarmerie, which charged 12 men with acts against nature and the deliberate transmission of HIV, including two public figures whose arrests drew significant media attention.
Sonko’s remarks came amid renewed scrutiny of anti-LGBT legislation in Africa, including developments in Uganda, where police recently arrested two women accused of same-sex conduct under the country’s strict anti-homosexuality law.
