In early March, Sénégal enacted a law doubling penalties for LGBTQ+ relationships, increasing sentences to five to ten years in prison. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye signed the legislation into force on March 31.

Rejecting foreign interference

Addressing lawmakers, Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko dismissed all foreign criticism, particularly from Western nations. He firmly ruled out any moratorium on the law’s enforcement, despite a mid-May appeal by over thirty African-origin figures in a widely circulated statement.

The signatories warned of a climate of “fear, hatred, and violence” intensifying since the law’s passage.

“Putting an end to the so-called ‘proliferation’ of homosexuality.”

Sonko instead urged authorities to enforce the law with full rigor, framing its purpose as curbing LGBTQ+ relationships. This rhetoric resonates strongly in Sénégal but raises concerns about escalating stigma and violence. While debates on LGBTQ+ rights vary globally, the fundamental principles of human dignity and protection from hate must remain paramount.