Burkina Faso’s transitional government has passed a new law criminalizing homosexuality, with penalties ranging from two to five years in prison along with fines. Justice Minister Edasso Rodrigue Bayala announced the measure on state broadcaster RTB, stating that those engaged in “homosexual or similar practices” would face trial, while foreign nationals found guilty would also be deported. The law, passed unanimously by 71 members of the unelected transitional assembly established after two military coups in 2022, is set to take effect immediately as part of broader reforms to family and citizenship legislation. Officials said the law will be promoted through a national awareness campaign.

The move has already drawn concern from rights advocates, who warn it further restricts freedoms in a country already facing accusations of human rights abuses under military rule. Since seizing power, the government has promised stability amid worsening security crises but has also been accused of mass arrests and forced conscription of critics. By enacting this ban, Burkina Faso joins more than half of African nations that penalize homosexuality with prison terms or, in some cases, the death penalty.

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SOURCE: Aljazeera