Burkina Faso’s parliament has unanimously passed a law criminalising homosexuality, with offenders facing prison terms of two to five years along with fines.
The legislation, which amends the Family Code, came into immediate effect after approval on Monday, more than a year after being endorsed by the military government of Capt. Ibrahim Traoré. Justice Minister Edasso Rodrigue Bayala defended the measure on state television, describing homosexual acts as “bizarre behaviour,” while officials framed the move as a defence of “marriage and family values.”
With this law, Burkina Faso joins more than half of Africa’s 54 nations that already criminalise homosexuality, despite widespread international criticism. Rights groups have condemned the ruling junta for restricting freedoms since seizing power in a 2022 coup, accusing it of suppressing dissent while deepening authoritarian control. Meanwhile, the government continues to present itself as advancing pan-African independence from Western influence, a stance that has gained support among sections of the country’s youth.