Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has formally introduced legislation to the National Assembly that would double the maximum prison sentence for same-sex relations. Addressing lawmakers on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, Sonko unveiled a bill that seeks to increase penalties for “unnatural acts” from the current one-to-five-year range to a minimum of five and a maximum of ten years’ imprisonment.
The proposed amendment to the Penal Code specifically targets sexual acts between persons of the same sex. Under the new provisions, the maximum 10-year sentence would be mandatory in cases involving a minor under the age of 21. Additionally, the bill introduces heavy financial penalties, with fines ranging from 2 million to 10 million CFA francs (approximately $3,300 to $16,500). Sonko also signaled a crackdown on advocacy, revealing plans to criminalize the “promotion” of homosexuality via social media and digital platforms.
“Anyone who commits an unnatural act will be punished by five to ten years’ imprisonment,” Sonko told the National Assembly during a heated question-and-answer session. He framed the legislation as a defense of “Senegalese cultural and religious values” against what he described as Western pressure to promote LGBT rights. While the bill toughens punishments, the Prime Minister noted that the offense would remain classified as a misdemeanor rather than a felony to ensure “pragmatic” judicial processing.
The move follows a wave of arrests earlier this month, where Senegal’s elite gendarmerie charged 12 men, including high-profile celebrities, with “acts against nature.” Human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, have condemned the legislative push, warning that it will exacerbate violence and fear in a country where the LGBT community already faces severe stigmatization. For the USAfrica community, this development highlights a growing trend of legislative hardening across West Africa, mirroring recent moves in Ghana and Burkina Faso to further criminalize same-sex conduct.
