Tue Sep 02 11:43:34 UTC 2025: **Summary:**

Burkina Faso has passed a law criminalizing homosexuality, punishable by 2-5 years in prison. The law was unanimously approved by parliament and put into effect more than a year after the military government approved it. This action aligns Burkina Faso with the majority of African nations that have laws banning homosexuality, despite international criticism. Officials are touting the law as upholding “marriage and family values.” This move comes amid concerns about the military junta’s human rights record and their anti-Western rhetoric.

**News Article:**

**Burkina Faso Criminalizes Homosexuality, Joining Wave of Anti-Gay Laws in Africa**

**OUAGADOUGOU – September 2, 2025 (The Hindu)** – Burkina Faso’s parliament has unanimously approved a law banning homosexuality, making same-sex relations punishable by two to five years in prison. The legislation, passed late Monday and reported by the state broadcaster, comes more than a year after it was approved by the country’s military government led by Captain Ibrahim Traore.

The new law places Burkina Faso among the majority of African nations that criminalize homosexuality, a trend increasingly criticized internationally. Punishments across the continent range from imprisonment to the death penalty.

Burkina Faso officials are defending the ban, framing it as a defense of “marriage and family values.” Justice Minister Edasso Rodrigue Bayala described homosexual acts as “bizarre behavior” in a televised briefing, warning offenders they would face legal repercussions.

The passage of this law comes amidst growing concerns about human rights violations under the current military junta, which seized power in 2022. Critics accuse the government of suppressing dissent through arrests and military conscription. President Traore has also adopted a strong anti-Western stance, a message that has resonated with some segments of the population.

The law is effective immediately, putting individuals in same-sex relationships at risk of imprisonment and fines. The move has raised concerns from human rights organizations, who fear further erosion of civil liberties in the country. This mirrors the court case and legislation passed in Uganda.

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