Senegal Lawmakers to Debate Bill Increasing Penalties for Same-Sex Relations

Senegal’s National Assembly is set to debate a controversial bill on Wednesday that would double the maximum penalty for same-sex relations, raising the punishment to up to 10 years in prison.

The proposed legislation comes amid an intensified crackdown on alleged same-sex activities in the West African nation, with several arrests reported in recent weeks and a surge of online attacks that have drawn criticism from human rights groups.

According to an official National Assembly document signed on Friday, lawmakers have been summoned to a plenary session on March 11, 2026, to review the bill. A vote is typically held on the same day as the debate.

The proposal was introduced late last month by Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and focuses on what remains a highly sensitive issue in the predominantly Muslim and deeply religious country.

Earlier in February, authorities arrested about a dozen men, including two local celebrities, on accusations of committing “acts against nature,” a term commonly used in the country’s laws to describe same-sex relations.

The arrests reportedly triggered further detentions almost daily, with local media estimating that at least 30 people have been taken into custody based on accusations and phone searches. Names of several detainees were also made public.

Some of those arrested have faced allegations of deliberately transmitting HIV, a claim that has further intensified public debate around same-sex relations in the country.

Beyond increasing prison terms for individuals convicted of same-sex relations, the bill also proposes prison sentences of three to seven years for people who advocate for LGBTQ rights.