US EditionSenegal Anti-LGBT Law: PM Ousmane Sonko Seeks Tougher Legislation, Doubling Prison Terms
- On Tuesday, Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko introduced a bill in parliament raising prison terms for homosexuality to five to 10 years and broadening what counts as 'unnatural acts'.
- Recent arrests and online campaigns prompted renewed action as ministers approved the draft last week after police arrested 12 men this month, including two local celebrities and a journalist.
- The draft sets specific penalties and definitions, punishing advocates for same-sex relations with three to seven years and penalising people accused of same-sex offences without proof, while Sonko said, `If the act is committed with a minor, the maximum sentence will be imposed`.
- The draft still requires a parliamentary vote and now needs passage in the National Assembly, where the PASTEF party controls proceedings, while Human Rights Watch warned last week that arrests have intensified concerns.
- Senegalese media have increasingly linked same-sex relations with a child sex-abuse case, as investigators dismantled a gang and arrested 14 people, while pro-LGBTQ advocates face accusations of Western influence.
51 Articles
51 Articles
The criminalization of homosexuality in the West African country of Senegal continues to intensify, with a new bill providing for prison sentences of up to ten years.
The arrest of a homosexual network is scandalous and rekindles a homophobia largely rooted in the country. On 18 February, a bill amending the Penal Code aimed at hardening penalties for homosexuals was adopted in the Council of Ministers. ...
"Anyone who has committed an act counter-nature will be punished by a prison term of five to ten years," said the Senegalese Prime Minister.
Senegal's prime minister pushes for anti-LGBT law doubling prison terms
DAKAR, Feb 24 - Senegal's Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko pushed on Tuesday for a draft law that would double the maximum prison term from five to 10 years for same-sex practices and other conduct deemed unnatural, part of a wider crackdown on LGBT people. Read more at straitstimes.com.
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