Belarus LGBT Propaganda Ban Comes Into Force

On June 19, 2026, a ban on the “propaganda of homosexual relations, sex change, childlessness, and pedophilia” officially came into force in Belarus. The two-month period since the official publication of the new version of the Code of Administrative Offenses has expired.

The law defines the “propaganda” of LGBT and voluntary childlessness (childfree) as the dissemination of information to form ideas about their “attractiveness.” For the “propaganda of pedophilia,” the criterion of attractiveness is not required — the dissemination of ideas about its “permissibility” is punished. The new norm is enshrined in Article 19.16 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Belarus.

Fines for violating the law depend on the audience to which the “propaganda” is directed. If the information is addressed to adults, individuals face a fine of up to 900 Belarusian rubles (about 280 US dollars), and legal entities — up to 6750 Belarusian rubles (about 2100 US dollars). If the “propaganda” is directed at children, the punishment is more severe: individuals can receive a fine of up to 1350 rubles (about 420 US dollars), community service, or administrative arrest. Legal entities face a fine of up to 9000 rubles (about 2800 US dollars).

Compared to a similar law in Russia, the fines in Belarus are several times lower. In addition, Belarus does not provide for the suspension of legal entities for up to three months and the deportation of foreigners for “propaganda,” as is practiced in Russian legislation.

Simultaneously with this ban, articles punishing cruelty to animals and violation of pet keeping rules came into force in Belarus.