By Peter Omopo
Senegal’s Prime Minister, Ousmane Sonko, has unveiled a bill seeking to increase the maximum penalty for same-sex relationships from five years to 10 years in prison.
Presenting the proposed legislation before parliament on Tuesday, Sonko said anyone committing what the law describes as “an act against nature” would face between five and 10 years’ imprisonment, compared to the current penalty of one to five years.
The bill was transmitted to the National Assembly after receiving approval from the Council of Ministers last week. The move follows a series of arrests of individuals accused of engaging in same-sex relations.
Police earlier this month announced the arrest of several men, including two local celebrities and a prominent journalist, under existing anti-LGBTQ laws.
Senegalese media outlets have also reported on alleged same-sex activities in recent days, at times linking them to a separate investigation involving child sexual abuse. In that case, authorities said they dismantled a network accused of sexual violence against minors, arresting 14 suspects.
According to Sonko, the proposed legislation addresses both same-sex relations and child sexual abuse. He told lawmakers that if such acts involve a minor, the maximum sentence would apply.
The bill also seeks to amend the penal code to define any sexual act between two people of the same sex as an offence and proposes prison terms of three to seven years for individuals who advocate for same-sex relationships.
LGBTQ issues have generated significant debate in Senegal in recent years, with religious groups staging protests demanding stricter penalties. Pro-LGBTQ advocacy is often criticized by conservative groups as the promotion of foreign values.
A date for a parliamentary vote on the bill has not yet been announced.
