Senegal passes law doubling prison sentence for same-sex relations to 10 years

Senegal’s parliament has approved legislation increasing penalties linked to same-sex relations.

The bill doubles the maximum prison sentence for same-sex sexual acts to 10 years and introduces criminal penalties for what authorities describe as the “promotion” of homosexuality.

It passed Senegal’s National Assembly with 135 votes in favour, none against and three abstention, amending Article 319 of the country’s penal code and raising potential fines from 1.5 million CFA francs to as much as 10 million CFA francs (around £13,000).

The vote follows campaign pledges made during the 2024 elections

Same-sex relations were already illegal in Senegal, where the previous law allowed prison sentences of up to five years. Under the new legislation, the penalty range increases to between five and 10 years. The law also expands criminal liability to activities interpreted as supporting or promoting homosexuality.

The vote follows campaign pledges made during the 2024 elections by president Bassirou Diomaye Faye and prime minister Ousmane Sonko, who both supported strengthening existing legislation on same-sex relations.

Reuters has reported that Senegalese activists advocating for the law consulted with MassResistance, a Massachusetts-based organisation that campaigns internationally for what it describes as “pro-family laws and policies”. The group has previously supported efforts opposing same-sex marriage and other LGBTQ+ rights measures in the United States.

“There’s a renewed push to put in place these strict bans on the promotion and proliferation of LGBT ideology” – MassResistance field director Arthur Schaper

According to the news agency, members of the Senegalese coalition And Samm Jikko Yi began discussing strategy with MassResistance in 2024 as part of efforts to mobilise support and pursue legal changes.

MassResistance field director Arthur Schaper said: “There’s a renewed push to put in place these strict bans on the promotion and proliferation of LGBT ideology now because President Trump is not in the business of harassing and bullying countries to incorporate these destructive ideologies.”

Reuters said it could not determine what effect the organisation’s involvement had on the parliamentary vote.

However, the report described the campaign as the first documented instance since Donald Trump returned to the US presidency in January 2025 in which a US-based advocacy group helped shape a successful push for anti-LGBT legislation in Africa.