Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko on Friday condemned what he described as Western “tyranny” in promoting homosexuality, insisting that Senegal would not bow to outside pressure over its newly strengthened laws against same-sex relations.
Speaking before lawmakers, Sonko accused Western nations of using their global influence and media power to impose values that he said do not align with Senegal’s cultural and religious beliefs.
“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 (homosexuality) on the rest of the world,” Sonko said during the parliamentary address.
The remarks come weeks after President Bassirou Diomaye Faye signed into law legislation that significantly increases penalties linked to same-sex relations in the Muslim-majority West African nation.
Under the new law, individuals convicted of “acts against nature,” a term widely used in Senegal to describe same-sex relations, now face prison sentences ranging from five to 10 years. Previously, the punishment ranged from one to five years.
The legislation also introduces penalties of three to seven years in prison for anyone found guilty of promoting or financing same-sex relationships.
LGBTQ rights remain a deeply divisive issue in Senegal, where advocacy for gay rights is often criticised by conservative groups and political leaders as an attempt by Western countries to influence local traditions and values.
Before becoming prime minister in 2024, Sonko had pledged to strengthen laws against same-sex relations by elevating the offence from a misdemeanour to a criminal act carrying harsher penalties.
Human rights organisations have raised concerns over the legislation and the broader crackdown on Senegal’s gay community, warning that tougher laws could increase discrimination and fear among LGBTQ individuals in the country.
