Burkina Faso’s transitional government has passed a law making homosexuality illegal, punishable by two to five years in prison and fines. Foreign nationals convicted could also face deportation, according to Justice Minister Edasso Rodrigue Bayala.
The law, approved unanimously by the 71-member government in power since a 2022 military coup, is part of wider reforms to family and citizenship rules and is expected to take immediate effect. Rights groups warn it could violate human rights and restrict legal protections. Burkina Faso joins several African countries, including Mali, Uganda, and Ghana, in penalizing same-sex relations, Al Jazeera reported.
