Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has signed a law that further criminalizes consensual same-sex relations in the country. The legislation, which was passed by the National Assembly in December 2025, was published in the official gazette on April 1, 2026, bringing it into force.
The new law amends the country's penal code, increasing the maximum prison sentence for same-sex acts from five years to ten years, and imposing fines of up to 5 million CFA francs (approximately $8,200). It also criminalizes the promotion of homosexuality.
The move has been met with a relatively muted response from international partners and human rights organizations. While groups like Amnesty International have condemned the law as a violation of fundamental rights, there has been no immediate, coordinated diplomatic rebuke from major Western governments.
The legislation follows a period of increased arrests and anti-LGBTQ rhetoric in Senegal, where same-sex relations were already illegal. The government has defended the law as reflecting the country's cultural and religious values.
