DAKAR—Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has forcefully defended the country’s newly toughened law against same-sex relations, rejecting international criticism and accusing Western nations of “tyranny” for attempting to “impose” homosexuality.
In an address to lawmakers Friday, Sonko urged Senegal’s justice system to ensure the “total” application of the new legislation. His remarks come as LGBTQ issues remain highly controversial in the Muslim-majority nation, where gay rights advocacy is frequently framed as an effort by Westerners to introduce foreign values.
The law, signed by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye at the end of March, significantly increases penalties for same-sex conduct. What the law refers to as “acts against nature” now carry a sentence of five to 10 years’ imprisonment, a sharp increase from the previous penalty of one to five years. Furthermore, individuals found guilty of promoting or financing same-sex relationships face three to seven years in prison. Dozens of arrests have reportedly already been made under the new measure.
Sonko framed the international backlash as an imperialistic effort, stating: “There are eight billion human beings in the world, but there is a small nucleus called the West… which, because it has resources and controls the media, wants to impose it… on the rest of the world”.
The Prime Minister specifically noted criticism from foreign countries, particularly France. He dismissed these concerns, stating, “If they have opted for these practices, it’s their problem, but we don’t have any lessons to take from them, absolutely none,”. He added that, unlike the West’s position, “no Asian, African or Arab country criticises Senegal”.
Sonko also rejected calls for a “moratorium” on the law’s enforcement, which followed an editorial published this month in the French daily Liberation by around 30 prominent personalities of African origin. Sonko himself had campaigned on a promise to make same-sex relations a more serious offense before becoming Prime Minister in 2024.
