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Burkina Faso has approved legislation that criminalizes homosexual activity, marking a significant step in the tightening of LGBT restrictions across West Africa.
According to the BBC, the transitional parliament—appointed rather than elected—passed the bill on Monday, following a draft family code introduced by the cabinet last year.
Justice Minister Edasso Rodrigue Bayala announced on state media that the law carries penalties of two to five years in prison along with fines. He also stated that foreign nationals convicted under the law would be deported. The measure now awaits ratification from the country’s military leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who took power in 2022 after deposing Lt. Col. Paul-Henri Damiba. His signature is required before the law is enacted.
Until now, Burkina Faso had stood out as one of the few African nations where same-sex relationships were not illegal. Unlike former British colonies, it did not inherit anti-homosexuality laws when it gained independence from France in 1960. However, the country remains socially conservative and deeply religious, with under 10% of the population identifying as non-religious.
This move aligns with developments in neighboring states. Mali, also under military rule and closely aligned with Burkina Faso, banned homosexuality last year. Nigeria maintains strict prohibitions, while Ghana passed but never enacted an anti-LGBT bill. Uganda has adopted the harshest stance, introducing the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality” and life sentences for consensual same-sex relations.
International organizations have condemned such measures. The World Bank, for instance, suspended loans to Uganda over its policies before later lifting the freeze.
Burkina Faso’s new law underscores a broader regional trend of growing social conservatism and military-backed governance driving a crackdown on LGBT rights in West Africa.
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