DAKAR, Senegal, Senegal’s Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has introduced a controversial bill in the National Assembly that would significantly increase penalties for same‑sex relations and related activities, part of an intensifying government crackdown on LGBT rights. Under the draft law presented on Tuesday, consensual same‑sex acts already illegal under Senegal’s penal code could carry prison sentences of five to ten years, up from the current one‑to‑five‑year range, and include steep fines. The proposal, backed by the ruling PASTEF party, has sparked sharp debate both domestically and among international rights groups.
The legislation also targets what the bill describes as “promotion” or advocacy of same‑sex relations, proposing three to seven years in prison and additional fines for individuals or organizations considered to be encouraging LGBT visibility or rights. Lawmakers in Dakar were told the measure is part of a broader effort to defend Senegalese cultural and moral values, with Sonko urging cross‑party support for the bill even as critics argue it stigmatizes and endangers already marginalized communities.
Human rights organizations have condemned the proposal, warning it could deepen discrimination, increase arrests, and fuel violence against LGBT people, at odds with internationally recognized protections for equality and non‑discrimination. While the draft law has already cleared the cabinet and now awaits a parliamentary vote, no date for the final debate and decision has yet been set and rights advocates say global pressure may grow if the harsher measures advance.