Senegal’s National Assembly has passed a law doubling the maximum prison sentence for same-sex relations to 10 years, intensifying a crackdown on the country’s LGBTQ community.

The legislation, adopted by an overwhelming majority of lawmakers, now awaits the signature of President Bassirou Diomaye Faye to become law.

Under the bill, “acts against nature” — a term used to refer to same-sex relations — will carry prison sentences of five to 10 years, compared with the previous penalty of one to five years.

The law also criminalises promoting or financing same-sex relationships, with offenders facing three to seven years in prison.

According to media reports, dozens of men have been arrested under Senegal’s anti-LGBTQ laws since February, when police detained 12 people, including two local celebrities, in the first of a series of arrests.

The legislation also introduces penalties for anyone who falsely accuses another person of same-sex offences without proof.

Lawmakers approved the bill after several hours of debate, voting 135 in favour, with none opposed and three abstentions.

The new law also increases fines linked to such offences to between two million and 10 million CFA francs, up from the previous range of 100,000 to 1.5 million CFA francs.