Senegal Doubles Prison Terms for Same-Sex Relations to 10 Years

President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal signed legislation in April 2026 that doubled maximum prison sentences for same-sex relations from 5 to 10 years, intensifying legal persecution of LGBTQ individuals. The law has triggered an asylum exodus, with gay Senegalese men fleeing the country to escape heightened prosecution and violence. Human rights organizations have condemned the measure as a severe regression that contradicts international norms and raises concerns about state-sanctioned discrimination in West Africa. The crackdown signals a hardening stance on LGBTQ rights in a region where homosexuality remains criminalized across most nations.