• Senegal's Prime Minister condemns Western influences on LGBTQ rights.
• New law doubles penalties for same-sex relations in Senegal.
• Dozens of arrests already made under the strict legislation.
• UN rights chief calls the law "deeply worrying."
• PM rejects calls for a moratorium on enforcing the law.

Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko recently condemned what he described as Western "tyranny," claiming that Western nations aim to impose homosexuality on Senegal. This statement came during a speech to the National Assembly, where he defended a controversial new law targeting same-sex relations, under which penalties have been significantly increased. The legislation, effective since late March, now imposes sentences of five to ten years for same-sex acts and punishes the financing or promotion of such relationships with three to seven years in prison. Sonko criticized the West for attempting to impose its values on Senegal, asserting that "there is a small nucleus called the West which... wants to impose it [homosexuality] on the rest of the world," according to Al Jazeera, Africanews, and Le Monde.

The new legislation has stirred considerable controversy in predominantly Muslim Senegal, where LGBTQ issues are often met with significant opposition. Sonko noted that the law had already resulted in numerous arrests, reflecting a growing crackdown on the LGBTQ community. He emphasized the national sovereignty of Senegal, stating that criticism from foreign nations, particularly France, is unwelcome and irrelevant. He stated, "If they have opted for these practices, it's their problem," as the country seeks to uphold traditional values, according to Al Jazeera and Africanews.