Prostitution Prostitution laws in the SeychellesSesel
Prostitution itself is not an offence in Seychelles, but most ways of practising it are. Under the Penal Code (Cap. 158), a person who solicits another in a public place for prostitution is liable to two years' imprisonment (s. 154); a "common prostitute" behaving in a disorderly or indecent manner in public is an idle and disorderly person (s. 173). Keeping or managing a brothel, or knowingly letting premises for one, carries three years (s. 155), and a brothel is any premises used by any person for prostitution. Procuring, living on the earnings of or exploiting another person's prostitution carries five years (s. 156). A 2015 survey of sex workers reported that about half had been arrested. The text could only be checked as consolidated to June 2020; no later change to these provisions was found.
Legal model
Legal, organisation banned. Selling and buying are legal, but brothels, procuring and organising are criminal offences.
Selling and buying sex are not offences as such, but soliciting in a public place for prostitution (s. 154), brothels (s. 155), living on or exploiting the earnings of prostitution (s. 156) and procuring (ss. 143–144) are. Because public soliciting is itself an offence and the brothel definition covers premises used by any one person, the regime is restrictive for sex workers; a 2018 Seychelles Nation report described sex work as criminalised under ss. 154–155.[1][2]
At a glance
| Question | Status | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Selling sexual services | Restricted Breach: criminal offence | Selling sex is not itself an offence, but a person who solicits another person in a public place for the purposes of prostitution is liable to two years' imprisonment (s. 154). A "common prostitute" behaving in a disorderly or indecent manner in a public place is an idle and disorderly person, liable to one year or a fine of up to Rs 1,000 or both (s. 173(a)).[1][2] |
| Buying sexual services | Restricted Breach: criminal offence | Paying for sex with an adult is not itself an offence. The soliciting offence in s. 154 is worded for "a person who solicits another person in a public place for the purposes of prostitution" and is not limited to the seller, so a client who solicits in public may also be covered.[1] |
| Brothels and managed venues | Illegal Criminal offence | Keeping or managing a brothel, or assisting in it, knowingly permitting premises to be used as one, or letting premises knowing they are to be used as one, is punishable by three years' imprisonment (s. 155(1)). A "brothel" is any premises or part of premises resorted to or used by any person for the purposes of prostitution or lewd sexual practices (s. 155(2)).[1] |
| Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping) | Illegal Criminal offence | Procuring, enticing or leading away a person for prostitution, knowingly living wholly or partly on the earnings of another's prostitution, knowingly exploiting it, or for gain controlling another person's movements so as to aid or compel their prostitution, carries five years (s. 156). Procuring or exploiting prostitution for gain, even with consent, is also a misdemeanour (s. 143), as is doing so without gain where the person is under 21, is sent abroad or is coerced (s. 144).[1] |
| Advertising sexual services | Restricted Breach: criminal offence | No offence specifically on advertising sexual services was found. Public soliciting for prostitution is an offence (s. 154), and publishing or advertising indecent material is punishable by five years (s. 152); a third party carrying adverts could also be exposed under s. 156 (exploiting the prostitution of another).[1] |
The law in detail
Selling sexual services
Selling sex is not itself an offence, but a person who solicits another person in a public place for the purposes of prostitution is liable to two years' imprisonment (s. 154). A "common prostitute" behaving in a disorderly or indecent manner in a public place is an idle and disorderly person, liable to one year or a fine of up to Rs 1,000 or both (s. 173(a)).[1][2]
Note. Text read in the Laws.Africa consolidation to 1 June 2020; SeyLII, which would show later amendments, refused access (403). In a 2015 integrated bio-behavioural survey cited by Seychelles Nation, 50.6% of sex workers reported having been arrested; among female sex workers the reasons included loitering (16%) and selling sex (7%).
Checked 30 October 2026
Buying sexual services
Paying for sex with an adult is not itself an offence. The soliciting offence in s. 154 is worded for "a person who solicits another person in a public place for the purposes of prostitution" and is not limited to the seller, so a client who solicits in public may also be covered.[1]
Confidence: medium. Application of s. 154 to clients is a reading of the gender-neutral text; no prosecutions of clients were found.
Checked 30 October 2026
Brothels and managed venues
Keeping or managing a brothel, or assisting in it, knowingly permitting premises to be used as one, or letting premises knowing they are to be used as one, is punishable by three years' imprisonment (s. 155(1)). A "brothel" is any premises or part of premises resorted to or used by any person for the purposes of prostitution or lewd sexual practices (s. 155(2)).[1]
Note. Consolidation to 1 June 2020. The definition ("any person") appears wide enough to cover a sex worker working alone from rented premises; no case law was checked.
Checked 30 October 2026
Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping)
Procuring, enticing or leading away a person for prostitution, knowingly living wholly or partly on the earnings of another's prostitution, knowingly exploiting it, or for gain controlling another person's movements so as to aid or compel their prostitution, carries five years (s. 156). Procuring or exploiting prostitution for gain, even with consent, is also a misdemeanour (s. 143), as is doing so without gain where the person is under 21, is sent abroad or is coerced (s. 144).[1]
Note. Sections 143–144 state no specific penalty; under s. 35 an unspecified misdemeanour is punishable by up to two years or a fine or both.
Checked 30 October 2026
Advertising sexual services
No offence specifically on advertising sexual services was found. Public soliciting for prostitution is an offence (s. 154), and publishing or advertising indecent material is punishable by five years (s. 152); a third party carrying adverts could also be exposed under s. 156 (exploiting the prostitution of another).[1]
Confidence: low. Inferred from general provisions; whether an online advert is soliciting "in a public place" is untested as far as found. Cybercrime legislation was not checked.
Checked 30 October 2026
Key legislation
| Law | What it does here | In force |
|---|---|---|
| Laws of Seychelles, Chapter 158: The Penal Code (consolidated to 1 June 2020) Penal Code (Cap. 158) ss. 143–144 · ss. 154–156 · s. 173 | Contains the soliciting, brothel, living-on-earnings, procuring and idle-and-disorderly offences.[1] | 1 February 1955 |
Timeline
Sources
- Laws of Seychelles, Chapter 158: The Penal Code (consolidated to 1 June 2020). Laws.Africa consolidation, hosted by VERTIC. legislation · accessed 30 October 2026
- Workshop to discuss creation of legal environment for sex workers. Seychelles Nation, 23 July 2018. news · accessed 30 October 2026