Overview
- Lawmakers voted 135–0 with three abstentions on March 11 to pass the government‑backed bill introduced by Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko.
- The bill raises prison terms to five to 10 years and fines to up to 10 million CFA francs, bars suspended sentences and below‑minimum terms, and criminalizes the promotion or financing of homosexuality.
- It also penalizes unproven public accusations and mandates the maximum sentence when the offense involves a minor.
- Despite steeper penalties, the offense remains classified as a misdemeanor rather than a crime.
- Rights groups report a recent surge in arrests and phone searches, religious networks are urging swift enactment, and the UN human rights chief is calling on the president not to sign as part of wider regional concerns.