In early March, Senegal passed a controversial law doubling penalties for same-sex relations, increasing sentences from five to ten years in prison. The legislation was signed into law by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye on March 31.

Prime minister rejects foreign criticism

Addressing lawmakers, Ousmane Sonko dismissed international condemnation, particularly from France, and ruled out any moratorium on the law’s enforcement. His stance follows a mid-May open letter by over thirty influential figures of African descent published in a major French newspaper, warning of a “climate of fear, hatred, and violence” since the law’s adoption.

“Putting an end to the ‘proliferation’ (sic) of homosexuality”

Instead, Sonko urged judicial authorities to implement the law “fully and rigorously,” asserting that its purpose was to curb what he termed the “proliferation” of homosexuality. While this rhetoric resonates politically across Senegal, it risks deepening stigma, encouraging denunciations, and fueling violence against LGBTQ+ individuals. Regardless of differing global perspectives on the issue, upholding human dignity and combating hatred should remain fundamental priorities.