Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has signed into law a bill that dramatically escalates penalties for same-sex relations, doubling the maximum prison sentence from five to ten years. The law, which classifies homosexuality alongside necrophilia and bestiality under offenses deemed “acts against nature,” has sent shockwaves through human rights organizations and deepened concerns about the direction of LGBTQ rights in West Africa.
The legislation, passed by an overwhelming majority in the National Assembly in March 2026, was championed by Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, who argued that the existing law was insufficient to deter what he described as behaviors contrary to Senegalese cultural and religious values. Under the new statute, anyone convicted of same-sex relations faces between one and ten years in prison, with aggravated penalties if the alleged offense involves a minor.
Same-sex relations were already illegal in Senegal under a colonial-era penal code that remains on the books across much of Francophone West Africa. However, activists say the new law marks a significant departure — not just in the severity of punishment, but in the explicit stigmatization it imposes on an already marginalized community.
A Climate of Fear
LGBTQ individuals in Senegal describe a climate of increasing fear and concealment. Human Rights Watch and other organizations have documented cases where suspected gay men have been arrested, beaten, and publicly humiliated, often on the basis of anonymous denunciations or rumors. The new law, activists say, is likely to embolden vigilante violence and encourage baseless accusations.
Human rights groups have condemned the legislation. “This law is a grave violation of the right to privacy, freedom of expression, and freedom from discrimination,” said a spokesperson for Amnesty International. “It has no place in a democratic society and must be repealed.”
Regional Trends and Western Critiques
Senegal’s move aligns it with a broader trend in West Africa, where several countries have maintained or tightened anti-sodomy laws in recent years. Nigeria’s Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act imposes up to 14 years in prison for same-sex relations, while Gambia, Mauritania, and Sierra Leone also criminalize homosexuality.
The law has also complicated Senegal’s relationship with Western donors and partners. The United States, which provides development assistance to Senegal, has previously signaled that LGBTQ rights are a factor in its human rights review processes. The European Union, which signed a security and defense partnership with Senegal’s government in March 2026, has not yet commented publicly on the legislation.
President Faye, who was elected in 2024 on a reformist platform, has not publicly defended the law, leading some analysts to suggest he may have been constrained by pressure from his coalition partner Sonko’s conservative base. His office has said only that the president “upholds the values of the Senegalese people.”
For Senegal’s LGBTQ community, the signing of the law marks a dark chapter. Advocates say they will continue to work underground, supporting each other through mutual aid networks and legal challenges where possible. But with ten years in prison now hanging over any openly gay person in the country, many say they see no path forward except silence — and survival.