Senegal’s parliament has approved new laws which double the prison time for people suspected of being homosexual. Those convicted now face up to ten years in prison.
The parliament also passed new laws that criminalise the promotion of LGBTIQA+ information. That offences carries a prison terms of three to seven years for anyone who publicly advocates for, promotes, or defends LGBTQ+ rights.
The law was passed with 135 politicians supporting the measure, and just three abstaining from voting, nobody voted against the proposal.
Tougher laws on homosexuality were a campaign promise of Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, and his protege Bassirou Diomaye Faye – who serves as the country’s President.
The passage of the laws comes as police conduct a wave of arrests in recent weeks on people who are suspected of being gay, lesbian or bisexual. The International Federation for Human Rights has reported 27 men were arrested between 9th and 24th February.
United Nations human rights chief Volker Türk has described the bill as “deeply worrying” and urged the Senegalese President not to sign it into law.
The legislation lists homosexuality, bisexuality, and “transsexulaity” alongside zoophilia and necrophilia.
