Burkina Faso homosexuality ban imposes up to five years in jail, deportation for foreigners, sparking global human rights concerns

Burkina Faso homosexuality ban has been passed by the country’s unelected transitional parliament, introducing prison sentences of up to five years for same-sex relationships.

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The legislation, unanimously approved on Monday, represents a sharp reversal for the Sahel nation, which until now had been one of the few African countries where same-sex relations were not criminalised.

Justice Minister Edasso Rodrigue Bayala confirmed on state media that the law provides for prison terms of two to five years and fines, while foreign nationals convicted under the law would also face deportation.

The bill now awaits the signature of military leader Capt Ibrahim Traoré, who seized power in 2022 after ousting another junta leader.

The measure comes amid a broader regional and continental trend of hardline crackdowns on LGBT communities. Neighbouring Mali, also under military rule, passed similar legislation last year.

Elsewhere, Uganda has imposed some of the harshest anti-LGBT laws globally, while Nigeria and Ghana have introduced restrictive measures of their own.

Human rights organisations have condemned these developments as dangerous and discriminatory, warning of increasing persecution against sexual minorities across Africa.

International institutions have also taken notice, with the World Bank temporarily suspending loans to Uganda last year in response to its anti-LGBT laws.

Burkina Faso’s new law has amplified concerns that vulnerable communities will face greater threats under an already repressive political climate.

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The nation, deeply religious and socially conservative, now aligns itself with the majority of African states that criminalise homosexuality, leaving few safe havens for LGBT people on the continent.