Experience

Belarus adopts sweeping anti-gay information law, joining global crackdown on queer rights, criminalises “promotion” of homosexuality, gender transition, and childlessness

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Belarus has adopted a controversial law banning the “propaganda” of consensual same-sex relationships, gender reassignment, and voluntary childlessness, aligning itself with a growing number of nations that criminalise discussions and positive portrayals of LGBTQIA+ identities. 

The law, signed by president Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko (also transliterated from Belarusian as Alyaksandr Ryhoravich Lukashenka) on 15 April 2026, introduces Article 19.16 into the country’s Code of Administrative Offences, prohibiting the “dissemination in any form” of information that fosters a positive attitude toward same-sex relations, gender transition, or childlessness. Violations can result in fines, community service, or administrative arrest for up to 15 days.

The legislation, approved by the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly (the Upper Chamber) on 2 April, also conflates homosexuality with pedophilia. A move human rights organisations describe as dangerous and misleading. 

Human Rights Watch warned that the law “furthers the legal and political alignment between Belarus and Russia, which both seek to stigmatise minority groups, control public discourse, and suppress dissent”.

United Nations experts echoed these concerns, stating that the law “represents a dangerous escalation” and risks institutionalising discrimination against LGBTQIA+ individuals, women, and human rights advocates. 

They emphasised that the legislation’s vague wording could enable arbitrary enforcement, restrict civic space, and legitimise persecution of marginalised groups. The law’s introduction follows reports of increased harassment, raids, and intimidation against LGBTQIA+ individuals in Belarus, as well as documented cases of gender-based persecution in early 2026.

The UN experts also highlighted the potential chilling effect on women’s sexual and reproductive health rights, warning that the law could deter advocates, educators, and health professionals from providing essential information. 

“Belarus has an obligation to respect, protect, and fulfil women’s and girls’ rights to make free and informed choices about sexuality and reproduction, without violence, coercion, or stigma”, they stated.

A global trend: criminalising queer identities and expression

Belarus is not alone in its crackdown. At least 19 countries now outlaw the “promotion” of homosexuality, with Russia leading the charge. 

In 2013, Russia enacted a ban on positive mentions of homosexuality in the presence of minors, expanding it in 2022 to cover all media, advertising, and movies. Hungary, Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Libya, and Burkina Faso have since followed suit, each implementing laws that criminalise the portrayal or promotion of same-sex relationships.

Other nations with similar bans include Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Somalia, Tunisia, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. Lithuania also has a law against the promotion of homosexuality, though it is rarely enforced and has faced legal challenges.

In Africa, Senegal’s conservative factions continue to push for stricter anti-homosexuality laws, while Nigeria and Libya maintain laws against both same-sex intimacy and its “promotion”. 

Burkina Faso’s 2025 law criminalises not only homosexuality but also behaviour “likely to promote homosexual practices”.

The LGBTQ+ Institute warns that these laws are often used to justify broader repression, targeting activists, educators, and health professionals who advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights. By equating legitimate human rights advocacy with administrative offences, authorities in these countries are fuelling prejudice and legitimising discrimination, according to UN experts.

The human cost: fear, persecution, and exile

The impact of such laws extends beyond legal penalties. Civil society organisations in Belarus report a surge in requests for psychological support and assistance in leaving the country. 

Transgender individuals, in particular, face heightened risks, including restricted access to essential medicines and healthcare. The law’s introduction has also raised concerns about its potential use to target political activists and human rights defenders, especially those engaging with international bodies like the UN.

UN experts have called on Belarus to repeal the discriminatory provisions and ensure compliance with international human rights standards. 

“Belarus must halt the enactment of this law”, they urged, warning that its implementation could lead to reprisals against those who speak out for LGBTQIA+ and women’s rights.

As the global trend of criminalising queer identities continues, advocates warn that the consequences – stigma, violence, and forced silence – will reverberate far beyond national borders, undermining decades of progress in human rights and equality.

Belarus’ anti-LGBTQIA+ crackdown: a legacy of repression and resistance

Belarus’s new law banning the “propaganda of homosexual relations, gender reassignment, childlessness, and pedophilia” is the latest chapter in a long history of state-sponsored discrimination against LGBTQIA+ individuals. 

While same-sex sexual activity was decriminalised in 1994, legal protections for queer Belarusians remain virtually non-existent. 

The country’s constitution and family code explicitly define marriage as a union between a woman and a man, and there is no recognition of same-sex partnerships. Discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity is not prohibited by law, and hate crimes targeting LGBTQIA+ individuals are not recognised as distinct offences.

The roots of this repression stretch back to the Soviet era, when homosexuality was criminalised and gay men were prosecuted under laws against “sodomy“. Even after decriminalisation, LGBTQIA+ Belarusians faced pervasive stigma, with many forced to hide their identities to avoid harassment, violence, or professional repercussions. In the 1990s, early attempts to organise LGBTQIA+ communities – such as the publication of Sex-AntiAIDS-Plus and Randez-vous magazine – were met with state interference, criminal cases, and forced closures. 

Activists like Ruslan Geniush and Edward Tarletski, leaders of the Belarusian Lambda League, faced repeated persecution, including assaults, raids, and legal threats.

The military, education system, and public institutions have long reinforced homophobic attitudes. LGBTQIA+ individuals are barred from military service, and public opinion remains overwhelmingly hostile: a 2017 Pew Research Center poll found that 84% of Belarusians believed homosexuality should not be accepted by society. Political figures, including president Alyaksandr Lukashenka, have repeatedly framed queer identities as a “western perversion” and a threat to national values. 

In 2018, interior minister Igor Shunevich used abusive language on national television to describe homosexuals, further normalising state-sanctioned discrimination.

State violence and the struggle for visibility

Violence against LGBTQIA+ individuals in Belarus is both systemic and brutal. Between the 1990s and 2020s, activists documented numerous murders, assaults, and rapes targeting queer people; many of which went uninvestigated by authorities. 

Edward Tarletski, a prominent activist, survived multiple violent attacks, including a 2002 assault that left him hospitalised with a broken shoulder and smashed teeth. Police routinely refused to investigate crimes against LGBTQIA+ victims, often blaming them for their own persecution. In prisons, queer inmates faced blackmail, extortion, and abuse, with authorities turning a blind eye or actively encouraging violence.

Attempts to organise public LGBTQIA+ events, such as pride marches or human rights festivals, have been consistently banned or met with police brutality. 

The 2010 Minsk Pride ended in arrests and beatings, with activist Sergey Androsenko later winning a UN Human Rights Committee ruling in his favour after suing the government. 

Despite these challenges, grassroots campaigns like the 2009 Month Against Homophobia sought to raise awareness and challenge stigma, though their impact was limited by state censorship and societal hostility.

The few LGBTQIA+ organisations that emerged – such as the Belarus Lambda League, GayBelarus, and Vstrecha – operated under constant threat. Many were denied official registration, forcing them to work underground. International support, including from the UN and human rights groups, provided limited protection, but the lack of legal recognition left activists vulnerable to reprisals.

The 2026 law: escalating repression

The April 2026 law marks a dramatic escalation in Belarus’s crackdown on LGBTQIA+ rights. Modeled after Russia’s 2013 ‘gay propaganda ban‘, it prohibits any positive portrayal of same-sex relationships, gender transition, or voluntary childlessness, with penalties ranging from fines to 15-day administrative arrests. 

The law’s conflation of homosexuality with pedophilia, a tactic long used by authoritarian regimes, has drawn condemnation from the UN and human rights organisations, who warn it will further legitimise violence and discrimination.

UN experts have highlighted the law’s potential to silence women’s rights advocates, educators, and healthcare providers, particularly those working on sexual and reproductive health. 

Transgender individuals face additional risks, including restricted access to medical care and increased pressure to flee the country. Civil society groups report a surge in requests for psychological support and assistance with emigration, underscoring the law’s immediate human toll.

The legislation also introduces liability for the “unlawful representation” of Belarus at international events, a provision critics say is designed to target activists engaging with UN mechanisms or foreign human rights bodies. This move reflects a broader pattern of repression under Lukashenka’s regime, which has intensified since the disputed 2020 presidential election and the subsequent crackdown on dissent.

A global context: Belarus in the anti-LGBTQIA+ vanguard

Belarus’s law places it alongside at least 19 other nations that criminalise the “promotion” of homosexuality, including Russia, Hungary, Nigeria, and Libya. 

These laws – often justified as defences of “traditional values” – are used to justify censorship, police raids, and the suppression of independent media. 

In Russia, the 2013 propaganda ban has been expanded to include all public discussions of LGBTQIA+ issues, while in Hungary, similar restrictions target educational materials and advertising.

The Belarusian law’s passage follows a decade of creeping authoritarianism in the region, with countries like Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Bulgaria adopting comparable measures. 

Observers note that these laws are not only tools of domestic control but also signals of alignment with Russia’s anti-western agenda. By targeting LGBTQIA+ communities, authoritarian regimes distract from economic and political failures while rallying conservative support.

The road ahead: resistance and solidarity

Despite the repression, Belarusian LGBTQIA+ activists continue to resist. Underground networks provide legal aid, mental health support, and safe spaces, while international advocacy groups pressure the regime to uphold human rights obligations. The UN’s call for Belarus to repeal the law and comply with international standards offers a glimmer of hope, though meaningful change will require sustained global attention.

For now, the law’s impact is clear: queer Belarusians face a choice between silence, exile, or the risk of persecution. As one activist told Reuters in 2024, “We are not just fighting for our rights. We are fighting for our lives”. 

In a country where homosexuality was once a criminal offence and remains a social taboo, the struggle for visibility and dignity continues, against ever-greater odds.

LGBTQIA+ and travel

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