Senegal is the latest African country to toughen punishment for homosexual acts

In Somalia, Uganda, and Mauritania, the offense can carry the death penalty.

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Senegal‘s parliament has approved a new bill that toughens punishment for homosexuality in the largely Muslim West African nation, the latest African country to impose harsh penalties against the LGBT community.

The new bill, which was introduced to parliament last month by Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, describes homosexual acts as being “against nature.” It doubles the punishment for those convicted from prison sentences of one to five years to between five and 10 years.

Nearly all lawmakers voted in favor of the bill during Wednesday’s plenary, with no opposition and three abstentions. It needs presidential assent before becoming a law, with Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye widely expected to sign it.

In another change, the proposed law punishes what it calls the “promotion” or “financing” of homosexuality, an attempt to crack down on organizations that support sexual and gender minorities.

The fines for the offense were also raised to a maximum of 10 million CFA ($17,609), but the bill retains the offense as a misdemeanor rather than a crime. During the parliamentary session, ministers argued that the previous 1966 law was too lenient.

The proposed law classifies homosexuality along with necrophilia and bestiality under the “acts against nature” offenses. But it also punishes anyone who accuses a person of homosexual acts “without proof.”

Laws proscribing homosexuality are common across Africa: more than 30 of the 54 countries criminalize same-sex sexual acts. Senegal has joined countries like Kenya, Sierra Leone, and Tanzania, where penalties can include 10 or more years of imprisonment. In Somalia, Uganda, and Mauritania, the offense can carry the death penalty.

Rallies in support of the new legal measure have been organized in recent weeks by groups promoting Islamic values, and the police have cracked down on alleged gay people and arrested at least a dozen people.

The proposed law fulfills a campaign promise of the prime minister, who had tried but failed to introduce it when he was in the opposition.

This development places Senegal alongside other African nations, such as Ghana and Uganda, which have recently moved to significantly harden their stances on sexual orientation through legislation.

Senegal’s history is deeply intertwined with its past as a cornerstone of the French colonial empire in West Africa. Established as a colony in the mid-19th century, with Saint-Louis serving as its early capital, Senegal became the administrative and cultural hub of French West Africa.

This period left a profound imprint on the nation’s legal system, education, and language, as French remains the official language today. After decades of colonial rule, Senegal peacefully transitioned to independence on April 4, 1960.

Source: The Associated Press, Babacar Dione, March 12, 2026

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