The President of Burkina Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, has banned same-sex marriage nationwide.

The President of Burkina Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, has banned same-sex marriage nationwide. The President of Burkina Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, has signed a nationwide law banning same-sex marriage and criminalizing homosexual acts. The new law provides for prison sentences of two to five years as well as fines. It was unanimously passed by the interim legislature and is now in effect nationwide. The law prohibits not only homosexual acts but also behavior that encourages such practices. Foreign nationals who violate the law can also be deported. Justice Minister Edasso Rodrigue Bayala emphasized that the law respects the cultural values ​​of society and is based on its deep aspirations. Human rights groups strongly criticize the law and warn of increasing discrimination and violence against LGBTQ+ people in Burkina Faso. This move represents a significant setback for the rights of LGBTQ+ people in the country, where same-sex acts were previously legal, but same-sex marriage was not recognized. The ban on same-sex marriage and the criminalization of homosexuality are part of a comprehensive reform of personal and family law following the 2022 military coup led by Traoré. Burkina Faso thus joins a growing list of African countries that criminalize same-sex relationships, usually with prison sentences and fines as sanctions. This development is taking place within the country's conservative social and religious context and is condemned by international human rights organizations as a violation of the rights to equality and privacy. He justified his decision with reference to African values, traditions, and cultural identity, and rejected foreign influence. The Quran does not explicitly mention homosexual acts as a term, but several passages, particularly the story of the Prophet's people Lot (Qaum Lut), portray homosexual behavior between men negatively and consider it sinful. These passages can be found, for example, in Surah 7, verses 80-81, where same-sex relations between men are described as "detestable." Women are not directly mentioned in this context in the Quran, leading to differing interpretations. The classical schools of Islamic jurisprudence rely more on hadiths (sayings of the Prophet) to define homosexual acts as punishable, though the type of punishment varies. The majority of conservative Islamic scholars interpret the Quran to mean that homosexual intercourse between men is forbidden and considered a sin. However, more modern, liberal interpretations suggest that the Quranic prohibition refers more to sexual violence than to same-sex love itself. It is also emphasized that the Quran makes no specific statements about homosexuality as an identity, but only about certain sexual acts. Overall, the practice of homosexual acts is generally viewed negatively in Islamic discourse, based on theological and legal traditions, although the exact wording and interpretation within the Quran itself are disputed. Societal attitudes, however, are often stricter and culturally influenced, with homosexual acts being prosecuted in some Muslim countries. Traoré emphasized how important it is for Africa to protect its traditions, families, and moral principles. His approach drew criticism in Western countries, but many Africans praised him for upholding cultural principles and national sovereignty. @https://theafricanica.com/news/ibrahim-traore-bans-same-sex-marriage-in-burkina-faso/ @https://www.humandignitytrust.org/news/burkina-faso-interim-president-officially-signs-anti-lgbt-legislation/ @https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2060er4062o @https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/9/2/burkina-faso-bans-homosexuality-as-a-crime-punishable-with-prison-fines [@https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homosexualit%C3%A4t_im_Islam @https://www.lsvd.de/de/ct/687-Homosexualitaet-im-Koran-der-Scharia-und-den-Hadith-Ueberlieferungen-des-Propheten-Muhammed @https://ourworldindata.org/progress-lgbt-rights @https://theconversation.com/friday-essay-the-quran-the-bible-and-homosexuality-in-islam-61012