Prostitution Prostitution laws in Guinea-BissauGuiné-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau's Penal Code (Decree-Law No. 4/93 of 13 October 1993) contains no offence of selling or buying sex between adults. Its prostitution offence, 'exploitation of a third party's sexual activity' (Article 136), punishes anyone who, with intent to profit or as a way of life, promotes, facilitates or in any way contributes to another person engaging in prostitution or significant sexual acts, with up to three years in prison or a fine. Two to ten years apply where the offender exploits the victim's abandonment or economic need, uses violence, serious threats or coercion, or moves the victim abroad. Law No. 12/2011 on trafficking in persons covers subjecting a person to prostitution by threat, deception, coercion or abuse of authority. No specific provision on advertising was found.
Legal model
Legal, organisation banned. Selling and buying are legal, but brothels, procuring and organising are criminal offences.
Selling and buying sex between adults are not offences. The 1993 Penal Code punishes anyone who, for profit or as a way of life, promotes, facilitates or in any way contributes to another person's prostitution (Article 136). That single offence covers brothel-keeping and other third-party involvement, so the framework is abolitionist.[1][2]
At a glance
| Question | Status | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Selling sexual services | Legal | No provision of the Penal Code makes selling sex an offence for an adult. Publicly importuning another person with sexual acts falls under the general offence of sexual exhibitionism (Article 135: up to three years or a fine).[1][2] |
| Buying sexual services | Legal | No offence of buying sex from an adult was found. Sexual acts with children are covered by the sexual abuse offences (Article 134).[1] |
| Brothels and managed venues | Illegal Criminal offence | No offence names brothels as such, but running premises where others sell sex is covered by Article 136, which punishes anyone who, for profit or as a way of life, promotes, facilitates or in any way contributes to another person's prostitution: up to three years or a fine.[1] |
| Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping) | Illegal Criminal offence | Promoting, facilitating or contributing to another's prostitution with intent to profit or as a way of life carries up to three years or a fine (Article 136(1)); attempt is punishable. Exploiting abandonment or economic need, using violence, serious threats or coercion, or moving the victim abroad carries two to ten years (Article 136(2)).[1][2] |
| Advertising sexual services | Restricted Breach: criminal offence | No offence specific to advertising sexual services was found. A person advertising their own services commits no identified offence; a third party who does so for profit or as a livelihood could fall under Article 136 as facilitating another person's prostitution.[1] |
The law in detail
Selling sexual services
No provision of the Penal Code makes selling sex an offence for an adult. Publicly importuning another person with sexual acts falls under the general offence of sexual exhibitionism (Article 135: up to three years or a fine).[1][2]
Confidence: medium. Based on the 1993 Code as transcribed by Equipo Nizkor and a 2019 World Bank compilation of the law in force. Later amendments to the Code were not checked in full.
Checked 30 October 2026
Buying sexual services
No offence of buying sex from an adult was found. Sexual acts with children are covered by the sexual abuse offences (Article 134).[1]
Confidence: medium. Later amendments to the Code were not checked in full.
Checked 30 October 2026
Brothels and managed venues
No offence names brothels as such, but running premises where others sell sex is covered by Article 136, which punishes anyone who, for profit or as a way of life, promotes, facilitates or in any way contributes to another person's prostitution: up to three years or a fine.[1]
Confidence: medium. No case law applying Article 136 to venues was found.
Checked 30 October 2026
Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping)
Promoting, facilitating or contributing to another's prostitution with intent to profit or as a way of life carries up to three years or a fine (Article 136(1)); attempt is punishable. Exploiting abandonment or economic need, using violence, serious threats or coercion, or moving the victim abroad carries two to ten years (Article 136(2)).[1][2]
Checked 30 October 2026
Advertising sexual services
No offence specific to advertising sexual services was found. A person advertising their own services commits no identified offence; a third party who does so for profit or as a livelihood could fall under Article 136 as facilitating another person's prostitution.[1]
Confidence: low. This is a reading of the statutory text; no case or guidance on advertising or websites was found.
Checked 30 October 2026
Key legislation
| Law | What it does here | In force |
|---|---|---|
| Código Penal (Decreto-Lei n.º 4/93, de 13 de Outubro) Penal Code (Decree-Law No. 4/93 of 13 October 1993) art. 135 · art. 136 | Article 136 criminalises exploiting another person's prostitution for profit or as a way of life; no offence applies to selling or buying.[1] | 1993 |
| Formação em violência baseada no género: Legislação anexa — Guiné-Bissau Law No. 12/2011 of 6 July 2011 on preventing and combating trafficking in persons (reproduced in a World Bank compilation) | Defines prostitution and sexual exploitation and criminalises trafficking for sexual exploitation.[2] | 2011 |
Timeline
Sources
- Código Penal (Decreto-Lei n.º 4/93, de 13 de Outubro) (Penal Code (Decree-Law No. 4/93 of 13 October 1993)). Equipo Nizkor (transcription of the Boletim Oficial text), 13 October 1993. legislation · accessed 30 October 2026
- Formação em violência baseada no género: Legislação anexa — Guiné-Bissau (Training on gender-based violence: annexed legislation — Guinea-Bissau). World Bank, October 2019. intergovernmental · accessed 30 October 2026