Overview

• The transitional legislature unanimously passed the Persons and Family Code, and officials said the new penalties take effect immediately while the text awaits junta leader Ibrahim Traoré’s signature.
• Justice Minister Edasso Rodrigue Bayala announced prison sentences of two to five years and fines, with foreign nationals subject to deportation under the code.
• Authorities framed the move as protecting “marriage and family values” and said the law will be promoted through a public awareness campaign.
• The code is part of wider reforms that also tighten nationality rules, marking a sharp break for a country that previously had no statute criminalizing same-sex relations.
• Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and other advocates condemned the criminalization and warned of increased discrimination, noting similar crackdowns in Mali, Uganda and proposed measures in Ghana.