Senegal’s prime minister proposes doubling the maximum jail term for same-sex acts to 10 years, part of a wider crackdown condemned by human rights groups.
DAKAR: SENEGAL’S Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has unveiled legislation to double the maximum prison sentence for same-sex relations.
The bill, approved by ministers last week and sent to the National Assembly, would increase the penalty from one to five years to a term of five to 10 years.
“Anyone committing an act against nature will be punished by five to 10 years’ imprisonment,” Sonko told parliament.
He added that acts involving a minor would attract the maximum penalty and those convicted would be deprived of civic rights for a decade.
The proposed law modifies the penal code to define any sexual act between two people of the same sex as “an act against nature”.
It also introduces a penalty of three to seven years for anyone engaged in advocacy for same-sex relations.
Furthermore, the bill would punish anyone who accuses another of same-sex offences without proof.
This legislative push follows a series of arrests under existing anti-LGBTQ laws.
Police this month said they arrested 12 men, including two local celebrities and a well-known journalist.
Media reports indicate around 30 people have been arrested recently.
Social media in Senegal has been flooded with homophobic messages and calls to out individuals.
The bill also addresses child sex abuse, presented alongside the measures on same-sex relations.
Human rights groups have condemned the intensified crackdown.
Global campaign group Human Rights Watch last week called for the release of those arrested and the repeal of “discriminatory and homophobic laws”.
The group warned the arrests intensify concerns over the safety of people living with HIV and/or AIDS.
In Senegal, pro-LGBTQ advocacy is frequently denounced as a Western imposition of foreign values.
Religious associations have staged demonstrations in recent years demanding tougher penalties.
Sonko had promised to criminalise same-sex relations before becoming prime minister in 2024.
The date for a parliamentary vote on the bill has yet to be announced.
