Mali‘s ruling parliament has enacted a law that makes same-sex acts illegal in the country governed by the junta, marking the latest in Africa where legislation is limiting LGBTQ rights.
Up until this point, there were no sanctions for LGBTQ relationships in Mali, a predominantly Muslim nation in the Sahel region dominated by traditional values.
The bill still requires approval from the military leaders who assumed power in 2020.
But from now on, “there are provisions in our laws that prohibit homosexuality in Mali,” declared Justice and Human Rights Minister Mamadou Kassogue.
“Anyone who indulges in this practice, or promotes or condones it, will be prosecuted.”
On Thursday night, the National Transitional Council, which acts as the legislature following the coup, approved a draft penal code that includes a ban on homosexuality, with a vote of 132 in favour and one against, as reported on the council’s Facebook page.
“We will not accept our customs and values being violated by people from elsewhere. This text will be applied, God willing,” Kassogue added.
AFP could not acquire a copy of the updated penal code, leaving the consequences for breaching the prohibition on same-sex activities unknown.
A report released in May 2024 by the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) indicated that same-sex relations are criminalised in a third of nations worldwide, and in some countries, the death penalty is applicable.
Approximately 30 countries in Africa impose bans on homosexuality, while Mauritania, Somalia, and Sudan enforce the death penalty for engaging in same-sex relations.