In Burkina Faso, people are being arrested, summoned to the police station under false pretenses and abducted, simply for being who they are. Sign to call for an end to this persecution.
In December 2025, a man was convicted in Burkina Faso for being in a same-sex relationship. He was sentenced to two years in prison, fined around $3,580, and — because he is a foreign national — will be deported once his sentence ends. He is the first person convicted since the law took effect, but the law applies equally to Burkinabé citizens, who face the same prison terms and fines.
Burkina Faso introduced this law in September 2025. Since then, people have been arrested and summoned to police stations under false pretenses, simply for who they love. LGBT+ organizations in the country say it has become harder to protect the people they support. People are forced to live in fear of arrest or violence.
Government officials say the law reflects the country's cultural values. But making it a crime to love who you love does not protect a culture, it punishes people for existing.
No one should be arrested, fined, or imprisoned because of who they love. We're calling on Burkina Faso's government to uphold the right to dignity and privacy, and guarantee protection from arbitrary arrest for all its citizens. Join us by signing this petition today.
