Senegal Signs Law Doubling Prison Terms for Same-Sex Relations

Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye signed into law on March 31 a bill that doubles the maximum prison sentence for same-sex relations from five years to ten, marking one of the most significant rollbacks of LGBTQ+ rights on the African continent this year.

The legislation, which was published in the official journal the following day, sailed through the National Assembly on March 11 with an overwhelming 135 votes in favor, zero opposed, and just three abstentions. The lopsided tally reflects a political climate in which defending LGBTQ+ rights carries enormous risk and virtually no elected officials are willing to stand against the tide.

What the Law Does

The amended Article 319 of the Senegalese Penal Code punishes “acts against nature” — the legal euphemism for consensual same-sex relations — with five to ten years’ imprisonment, up from one to five years under the previous statute. Fines have also increased dramatically, now ranging from 2 to 10 million CFA francs (approximately $3,500 to $17,600), compared with the previous ceiling of 1.5 million.

But the law goes further than targeting sexual conduct. It criminalizes the “glorification” of same-sex relationships, as well as the financing or support of organizations promoting “homosexuality, bisexuality, transsexuality, or any similar practice.” Those offenses carry their own penalties of three to seven years in prison. Enhanced sentences apply when minors are involved.

The breadth of the glorification provisions is particularly alarming. Under the new framework, activists, journalists, and civil society organizations that publicly advocate for LGBTQ+ rights or provide community support could face years behind bars simply for doing their work.

A Law Born from Panic

The legislative push intensified after a wave of arrests that began in February 2026, when 12 men were detained in a widely publicized crackdown on suspected same-sex conduct. Two celebrities were also swept up in the arrests, which were based largely on accusations and searches of personal phones. The names of those detained were publicly disclosed — a practice that effectively sentences people to social ostracism before they ever see a courtroom.

The arrests triggered public protests demanding harsher penalties, and politicians rushed to respond. Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, who had promised tougher anti-LGBTQ+ measures before his party’s 2024 electoral victory, personally presented the bill to the National Assembly.

International Condemnation

The international response was swift but, as some observers noted, relatively muted compared to the severity of the legislation. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk called the law “deeply worrying,” stating that it “flies in the face of the sacrosanct human rights” enshrined in international conventions to which Senegal is a signatory.

ILGA World, the global federation of LGBTQ+ organizations, had urged President Faye not to sign the bill, calling on the government to uphold “respect for individual liberty and the human person.” Their appeal went unheeded.

Part of a Continental Pattern

Senegal’s law does not exist in isolation. Across the African continent, governments are tightening restrictions on LGBTQ+ people. Ghana’s parliament is reviving a bill that would impose up to three years’ imprisonment for identifying as LGBTQ+, with the current president indicating he will sign it. Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act, enacted in 2023 with its provision for the death penalty in cases of “aggravated homosexuality,” continues to stand.

Analysts point to multiple drivers behind this wave. Economic hardship, corruption, and failing public services create fertile ground for scapegoating, and LGBTQ+ communities are convenient targets. Some researchers and activists also point to the influence of US-based evangelical organizations that have operated across the continent for years, reinforcing and funding anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment. That dynamic has only intensified under the second Trump administration, which has cut funding for global aid programs including those supporting LGBTQ+ individuals living with HIV.

What Comes Next

For LGBTQ+ Senegalese, the law’s most immediate effect is a deepening of the climate of fear that already permeated daily life. The criminalization of advocacy means that the already-limited space for civil society organizing has effectively been closed. People who were already vulnerable — those who had been publicly outed, those in precarious economic situations, those without family support — now face even greater risk.

Senegal was once considered relatively moderate on LGBTQ+ issues compared to some of its neighbors. While same-sex conduct has long been illegal, enforcement was historically sporadic and the social climate, while hostile, allowed for a degree of quiet existence. That era appears to be over.

The law is a reminder that progress on LGBTQ+ rights is not inevitable, and that the forces arrayed against equality are organized, well-funded, and politically ascendant in many parts of the world. For those watching from elsewhere, the question is not just what happens in Senegal, but what signal this sends to other governments considering similar measures.