Although it’s not illegal to be LGBTQ in Belarus, there’s still a lot of challenges encountered by the queer community.

Is it legal to be gay in Belarus?

Yes – it’s legal. Same-sex sexual activity was legalised in Belarus in 1994.

Criminalisation of sodomy had previously been part of the country’s criminal code as a result of being part of the Soviet Union.

The decriminalisation of homosexuality was a decision made by the Belarus parliament which amended the country’s criminal code to remove the crime of sodomy.

The age-of-consent in Belarus is 16 for both homosexual and heterosexual sexual activity.

Is there Marriage Equality in Belarus?

No. There’s no legal recognition of same-sex relationships.

The constitution of Belarus specifically defines marriage as being between opposite-sex partners.

Are there anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people in Belarus?

No. There are no anti-discrimination protections in place against discrimination based on sexuality.

What’s life like for LGBTQ people in Belarus?

A socially conservative country, homosexuality is still seen as a taboo topic in Belarus.

Combined with the lack of legal protections, this forces most LGBTQ people to conceal their sexuality to avoid systemic homophobia and abuse.

There are some local LGBTQ websites and publications, but the visible LGBTQ community is relatively small and under-resourced.