Vitsyebskaya voblasts is governed by federal Belarus law. Learn more
- Homosexuality
- ⚢✔ Legal
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✖ Banned
- Censorship
- ✖ Imprisonment as punishment
- Changing Gender
- ✖ Legal, but requires medical diagnosis
- Gender-Affirming Care
- ✖ Restricted
- Non-Binary Gender Recognition
- ✖ Not legally recognized
- Hate Crime Protections
- ✖ No protections
- Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Employment Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Housing Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Adoption
- ✖ Illegal
- Intersex Infant Surgery
- ✖ Not banned
- Military
- ✖ Don't Ask, Don't Tell
- Donating Blood
- ✔ Legal
- Bathroom Access
- ✖ Partially restricted
- Conversion Therapy
- ✖ Not banned
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
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Public Opinion
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Homosexual activity in Vitsyebskaya voblasts is legal.
Current status
Since Mar 1, 1994
Legal
Only form of homosexuality that is illegal is non-consensual homosexual intercourse
Male illegal, female legal
An article under which sodomy was punishable by imprisonment from 5 to 8 years appeared in the Soviet Criminal Code on March 7, 1934. During the Soviet Union, Belarus used laws common to all Soviet republics. According to Article 119-1 of the Soviet Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus, it was established that homosexual men who have voluntary sexual contact should be sentenced to imprisonment for up to five years
Censorship of LGBT issues in Vitsyebskaya voblasts is imprisonment as punishment.
Current status
Since Jan 1, 2020
Imprisonment as punishment under federal Belarus law
In 2020, the Ministry of Health endorsed a plan to establish legal consequences, both administrative and criminal, for spreading information that undermines the institution of family and marriage. In April of 2024, Belarus broadened its definition of pornography to encompass portrayals of "non-traditional sexual relations and/or sexual behavior," thereby making the advocacy of homosexuality subject to imprisonment for up to four years. Since 2024, the Instagram accounts of various Belarusian LGBTQ+ initiatives, such as Prismatica, TG House, Daship, and Belarusian queer activist Jane Horney were added to a list of "extremist materials". For interacting (following, liking, reposting, commenting) with so-called "extremist materials" you can get fined and arrested, with your mobile devices being confiscated.
State-enforced
Since 2010, Belarus has cracked down on LGBTIQ+ advocacy starting with a violent raid on a Pride March by the police.
The Law on the Protection of Children from Information Harmful to their Health and Development (2016) which came into effect in July 2017, prohibits the dissemination of information that “discredits the institution of family and marriage”.
In 2020, the Ministry of Health endorsed a proposal to introduce administrative and criminal liability for the dissemination of information that "discredits the institution of family and marriage".
The Law on the Protection of Children from Information Harmful to their Health and Development (2016) which came into effect in July 2017, prohibits the dissemination of information that “discredits the institution of family and marriage”.
In 2020, the Ministry of Health endorsed a proposal to introduce administrative and criminal liability for the dissemination of information that "discredits the institution of family and marriage".
Right to change legal gender in Vitsyebskaya voblasts is legal, but requires medical diagnosis.
Current status
Since Dec 11, 2010
Legal, but requires medical diagnosis under federal Belarus law
Belarusians have been allowed to update their gender markers and names following a medical diagnosis however applicants were often barred if they were married or had children. Additionally, until 2018 national identification numbers had a gender marker embedded and these could not be changed. This reportedly often leads to discrepancies between the two resulting in denial of employment.
Legal, but requires surgery
Under Soviet law, after the fall of the Soviet Union, the regulations were not changed.
Until Apr 5, 1972
Illegal
Legal gender change is impossible
Gender-affirming care in Vitsyebskaya voblasts is restricted.
Current status
Since 1983
Restricted
Gender affirming care is not banned in Belarus but is extremely difficult to access with huge state overreach resulting in 80% of requests being rejected in 2023 and specialists requiring more “social transition” before even prescribing hormones.
Restricted
In 1926, the Soviet Union's Ministry of Internal Affairs legalized sex reassignment surgery
Until 1926
Banned
Medical transition is not possible
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Vitsyebskaya voblasts is not legally recognized.
Current status
Not legally recognized
Belarus does not recognize non-binary gender identities however in 2018, identification numbers were made gender-neutral for all.
Hate crime protections in Vitsyebskaya voblasts is no protections.
Current status
No protections
Belarus does not explicitly provide hate crime protections based on sexual orientation or gender identity. However, Article 64 of Belarus’ Criminal Code includes “hatred or hostility towards any social group” as an aggravating circumstance. This provision could theoretically apply to the LGBTQ+ community.
Law enforcement officers routinely fail to initiate criminal proceedings or properly investigate violent attacks against LGBT people. Victims frequently face neglect, insults, and hostility from police officers when they try to report crimes.
Law enforcement officers routinely fail to initiate criminal proceedings or properly investigate violent attacks against LGBT people. Victims frequently face neglect, insults, and hostility from police officers when they try to report crimes.
LGBT discrimination in Vitsyebskaya voblasts is no protections.
Current status
No protections
Even though Article 22 states all citizens are equal, sexual orientations and gender identities are not included in the forms of discrimination covered and the practice is widespread.
LGBT employment discrimination in Vitsyebskaya voblasts is no protections.
Current status
No protections
Belarus has no legal protections for people from employment discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation. Moreover, the practice is reportedly widespread.
LGBT housing discrimination in Vitsyebskaya voblasts is no protections.
Current status
No protections
No housing discrimination protections currently exist for Belarusians and the practice is reportedly quite widespread.
Same-sex adoption in Vitsyebskaya voblasts is illegal.
Current status
Illegal
Adoption of children by same-sex couples are not spelled out in the legislation, however, when considering an application for adoption, homosexuality is considered a ground for refusal.
Intersex infant surgery in Vitsyebskaya voblasts is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
There is no official ban on unnecessary sex reassignment operations in infants in Belarus.
Serving openly in military in Vitsyebskaya voblasts is don't ask, don't tell.
Current status
Don't Ask, Don't Tell
Open homosexuals can not serve in the armed forces. When injected into the army, homosexuals may be victims of violence from colleagues. The Constitution and laws do not restrict the service of homosexuals in the military.
Blood donations by MSMs in Vitsyebskaya voblasts is legal.
Current status
Legal
No particular limitation for homosexuals. All the procedures and requirements are the same for all donors.
Bathroom access in Vitsyebskaya voblasts is partially restricted.
Current status
Partially restricted
In Belarus, there are no restrictions on trans people using the bathroom based on their gender identity than their assigned sex at birth but no protections for them either. However, Belarusian police have occasionally targeted trans people under hooliganism laws for doing so.
Conversion therapy in Vitsyebskaya voblasts is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
Conversion therapy is legal and widespread in Belarus.
Equal age of consent in Vitsyebskaya voblasts is equal.
Current status
Since Mar 1, 1994
Equal
The age of consent in Belarus is 16 years, as stated in Articles 168 and 169, which read: "Sexual intercourse, sodomy, lesbian intercourse or other sexual acts committed by adults who have reached eighteen years of age, with a person who is obviously not reached sixteen years of age, with no signs of crimes envisaged by Articles 166 and 167 of this Code, shall be punished by restriction of liberty from two to four years, or imprisonment for a term of two to five years. "and" indecent assault, committed by a person under eighteen years of age, in relation to a person who obviously has not attained the age of sixteen, in the absence of evidence of the crimes stipulated in Articles 166, 167 and 168 of this Code, shall be punished by imprisonment for up to six months or imprisonment for a term of one to three years "
Legal Rights
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Alternative names: Vicebskaja Voblastsʿ, Vicebskaya Voblastsʿ, Viciebsk, Vicjebsk, Vitebsk, Vitebskaja Oblastʿ, Vitebskaya Oblastʿ, Vitsyebsk