Burkina Faso's unelected transitional parliament has passed a bill banning homosexual acts, only a year after an amended family code that criminalized homosexuality was adopted by the country's cabinet.
The new measure, voted unanimously on Monday, imposes punishments including jail sentences of up to five years, representing a broader trend of crackdowns on same-sex relationships across the continent.
Justice Minister Edasso Rodrigue Bayala revealed in state-run media that the law provides for a prison sentence of between two and five years as well as fines. He also stated that foreign nationals caught violating this law would face deportation.
The next step for this legislation is to obtain the signature from the country’s military leader, Capt Ibrahim Traoré, who took power in 2022 after overturning an earlier junta led by Lt Col Paul-Henri Damiba.
Historically, Burkina Faso was among the few African nations where same-sex relations were not penalized, unlike some of its regional counterparts where punitive measures can include death sentences or lengthy imprisonment.
Socially conservative and largely religious, Burkina Faso has now joined a list of African nations tightening their anti-LGBTQ stances, alongside countries like Mali and Uganda which have enacted similar laws. The shift represents a growing trend within the region towards increased restrictions on LGBTQ rights.
Countries like Nigeria and Ghana have also faced scrutiny for their anti-homosexual laws, reflecting a widespread climate of intolerance towards LGBTQ individuals across many African nations.
