Senegal’s parliament has approved a law doubling the maximum prison sentence for same-sex relations to 10 years, intensifying a crackdown on the LGBTQ community. The bill now awaits the signature of the President of Senegal. Lawmakers voted 135 in favor, none opposed, and three abstained. The legislation also criminalizes promoting or financing same-sex relationships, with prison terms of three to seven years. Media reports say dozens of men have been arrested since February under existing anti-LGBTQ laws. During the debate, one lawmaker declared, “Homosexuals will no longer breathe in this country. Homosexuals will no longer have freedom of expression in this country.”
