Burkina Faso’s parliament has voted unanimously to ban homosexuality, introducing prison sentences of two to five years and fines for offenders, state television announced late Monday. The law, which amends the country’s family code, took effect immediately and follows its approval last year by the military government of Captain Ibrahim Traoré. Justice Minister Edasso Rodrigue Bayala defended the move as protecting “marriage and family values,” calling same-sex relations “bizarre behavior.” He warned that anyone caught “will go before the judge.”
With the new law, Burkina Faso joins more than half of Africa’s 54 countries where homosexuality is outlawed. Penalties range from lengthy jail terms to the death penalty in countries such as Uganda, where “aggravated homosexuality” can be punished by execution. Neighboring Mali, also under military rule, passed a nearly identical ban in November. The move reflects a broader regional push against LGBTQ+ rights. Ghana’s parliament recently passed legislation tightening restrictions, and Uganda has faced international backlash for some of the harshest anti-gay laws in the world.
At home, however, such laws enjoy wide public support. Many officials frame homosexuality as a “Western import,” rather than a natural orientation, a view that resonates across conservative societies. Rights groups condemned Burkina Faso’s decision, accusing the junta of shrinking civic freedoms since seizing power in a 2022 coup. Traoré has also sought to position himself as a pan-African leader rejecting Western influence, rhetoric that appeals to many young Burkinabé frustrated by insecurity and poverty. The new legislation adds to growing concerns about the erosion of human rights under military governments in the Sahel, even as they struggle to contain jihadist insurgencies that have displaced millions.
