New Belarus Law Equates LGBTQ+ Identities With Paedophilia

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has signed a sweeping new law banning what authorities describe as the “propaganda” of LGBTQ+ identities, deepening the country’s crackdown on queer and trans people. The measure follows its passage through parliament earlier this month and mirrors similar legislation in neighbouring Russia. 

The law groups the “propaganda of homosexual relations” and “gender change” alongside paedophilia and the “refusal to have children”, a framing that rights groups say is both dangerous and deliberately dehumanising. Under the legislation, those accused of violating it can face fines, community labour or up to 15 days in jail.

International bodies have strongly condemned the move. UN experts warned that penalising information about same-sex relationships, transgender healthcare and reproductive autonomy would institutionalise discrimination and significantly increase the risk of repression. They said Belarusian authorities were fuelling prejudice by treating basic information about sexual orientation, gender identity and reproductive rights as if it were an administrative offence.

Human Rights Watch said the law imports Russia’s “propaganda” playbook and is designed not just to stigmatise minority groups, but also to control public discourse and suppress dissent. The organisation warned that such laws have historically been used to silence activists, shut down organisations and push LGBTQ+ people further out of public life.

LGBTQ+ groups inside Belarus say the law will worsen an already hostile environment. Recent reporting from the Associated Press noted claims of rising repression, including raids on venues, alleged blackmail by security services, and mounting fears among LGBTQ+ Belarusians about access to support and healthcare.

Belarus decriminalised homosexuality in 1994, but it still offers no legal recognition for same-sex couples and few protections for LGBTQ+ people. Under Lukashenko, who has ruled the country for more than three decades, anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and policies have become increasingly overt.

Last Updated on Apr 18, 2026