Burkina Faso’s ruling government has passed a law criminalizing homosexuality and making it punishable with up to five years in prison. Foreigners convicted under the new law will be deported.

The bill, directed at what it calls “perpetrators of homosexual practices,” was passed unanimously by the transitional parliament’s 71 members.  It’s part of broader reforms regarding family and citizenship legislation.

Homosexuality is banned in about 30 other African nations. Burkina Faso’s neighbor and close ally Mali – passed a similar law in October last year.  

Parliament of Uganda passed a law to prohibit the promotion or recognition of sexual relations between persons of the same sex on 21st March 2023.  In Uganda, “aggravated homosexuality” is punishable by death, while engaging in same-sex relations carries a life sentence.