Burkina Faso has passed a new law criminalising homosexuality, making same-sex relations punishable by five years prison sentence and fines.
The legislation, unanimously adopted by the country’s 71-member transitional assembly, sets penalties of two to five years in prison and financial fines for those found guilty.
Foreign nationals convicted under the law face deportation and potential travel bans from re-entering the country.
Justice Minister Edasso Rodrigue Bayala said the law was intended to “preserve traditional marriage and family values,” describing same-sex relations as “bizarre” and warning that offenders would be brought before the courts.
The measure forms part of broader reforms to family and citizenship codes introduced by the military-led government of Captain Ibrahim Traoré, who seized power in a 2022 coup.
Burkina Faso joins a growing number of African countries tightening restrictions on LGBTQ+ rights in recent years, despite international criticism.
Laws banning or criminalising same-sex relations are currently enforced in more than 30 African nations.
The law takes immediate effect and is expected to be strictly enforced, according to officials.
