Belarus LGBTQI+ rights statement

Escalation of Repression: A New Bill as a Tool of Pressure on the LGBTQ+ Community

The Belarusian authorities continue their attack on civil liberties and human rights, using the rhetoric of "protecting traditional values" as a cover for repression against the LGBTQ+ community. On February 7, 2025, a package of amendments to the "Child Rights Law" was approved in Belarus: Article 37-1 was amended to include provisions on the "propaganda of homosexual relationships, gender transition, pedophilia, and childlessness," which are deemed harmful to the health and development of minors in the country.

The formulations of the law are deliberately vague and can be used to persecute LGBTQ+ people, activists, and organizations. In fact, these changes echo the approach previously implemented in Russia, where the ban on "propaganda of non-traditional relationships" began under the pretext of "protecting children" but ultimately led to total censorship, the banning of educational programs, criminal prosecution of activists, and widespread violations of LGBTQ+ people's rights.
 In Belarus, the authorities are acting even more cleverly: they are formally avoiding the introduction of a separate anti-LGBTQ+ law to maintain the ability to claim on international platforms that "there are no laws discriminating against the LGBTQ+ community in Belarus."

These amendments are part of a broader campaign of repression that creates an atmosphere of fear and discrimination within the community, exacerbating the situation of vulnerable groups and preventing the formation of sustainable support networks, as even solidarity (such as statements condemning the discrimination of LGBTQ+) has become unsafe. As a reminder, in February last year, at a joint session of the National Assembly, Belarus' Prosecutor General Andrei Shved already presented a draft separate law on responsibility for "propagating non-traditional family relationships."

Information Isolation and Undermining Trust in NGOs

Repression against activism and the NGO sector has not stopped: LGBTQ+ organizations in exile continue to document instances of pressure, intimidation, and recruitment of activists and even visitors to previously held events in Belarus. People previously involved in activism are being forced through threats to provoke actions in Belarus and spy on LGBTQ+ projects in exile. We also regularly observe attempts by disguised individuals to attend online events and intimidate the audience. Naturally, this leads to people beginning to fear the very topic of human rights protection and not considering the defense of their rights as a reliable or safe strategy. Repression against NGOs, human rights defenders, and journalists has led to the information isolation of LGBTQ+ people in the country. Public online initiatives have been halted, thematic groups and forums have been closed, and human rights and educational projects have been curtailed.

This vacuum is being exploited by propaganda to spread two main narratives:

• "LGBTQ+ activists exaggerate the threat to get funding."
   This discourse fuels distrust towards human rights organizations and international support. It is a continuation of the typical rhetoric used by propaganda for many years against the entire democratic movement, which today directly threatens the LGBTQ+ community by devaluing their long-standing efforts and expectations regarding political representation. For the second year in a row, activist research shows a decline in trust towards human rights institutions and international human rights protection mechanisms.
• "Repression is just the fantasy of people in exile."
   This discourse has formed due to the gradual information isolation that people inside the country have faced after the repressions of 2025 (including the regular addition of extremist organizations and media to the list), which forced NGOs to halt most activities related to informing, building solidarity networks, and online communities (chats, groups, offline events)—because participation or association with NGOs exposed queer people in Belarus to the risk of arrest and torture. Many initiatives and organizations providing targeted assistance were forced to cease publicly distributing information about their work—thus, even while working in exile, LGBTQ+ organizations had to self-censor and effectively complicate access to their services and products to reduce risks for their beneficiaries. In six months, we have reached a situation where isolated and frightened queer people are convinced that the democratic movement and the NGO sector "do not impact" their lives and may harm them. Queer culture is self-censoring, moving into closed forms, and often the social life of LGBTQ+ people is deprived of its cultural, educational, or human rights components, or the possibility of political representation. A significant part of this is influenced by the conservative rhetoric of the democratic forces of the new Belarus, who, over the past five years, have not matured enough to publicly and clearly speak out in support of LGBTQ+ people, gender equality, diversity, or abandon heteronormative conservative rhetoric in discussions of gender roles.

The Role of the International Community and Priority Areas of Support

In the context of repression and information blockade, Belarusian LGBTQ+ activism requires comprehensive and sustainable support from international partners. In February 2025, at a meeting of LGBTQ+ initiatives with donor organizations, the key challenges and needs of the community were outlined. Among them:

1. Evacuation and visa support
   There is a need to expand mechanisms for emergency support and funding for the evacuation of LGBTQ+ people, including not only political activists but also those who face threats outside of activism contexts. In particular:
   - Simplification of procedures for obtaining humanitarian visas, especially for transgender people who face document issues.
   - Lobbying for alternative ways of leaving Belarus and legalizing in safe countries, including the creation and support of scholarship programs, educational programs, internships, etc.
   - Simplifying access to gender-affirming healthcare, supporting activist initiatives and programs aimed at adaptation and providing informational support to vulnerable groups within the community, in particular, transgender people and those living with HIV.
2. Protection of Activists and Volunteers and Supporting Sustainable Activism
   Belarusian LGBTQ+ organizations, forced to work abroad, remain the main support for the community inside the country. They need resources to ensure the safety of activists, develop online spaces, support victims, and document human rights violations. In particular, initiatives today need:
   - Development of emergency support mechanisms: funding, legal assistance, rehabilitation.
   - Grant support focused on sustainability, not just quantitative indicators.
   - Simplification of bureaucratic procedures for applying and reporting.
   - Possibility of individual funding for activists.
   - Ethical treatment of NGO workers as professionals, fairness in salary, and recognition of the strategic importance of long-term and sustainable NGO work.
3. Counteracting Information Isolation
   We must do everything in our power to expand access for LGBTQ+ people in Belarus to reliable information, safe communities, and psychological support. Support media projects, research initiatives, educational and informational campaigns that will help preserve the community and overcome the "silence of the lambs" effect.
4. International Pressure on Belarus
   The question of repression against LGBTQ+ people must continue to be raised on international platforms—at the UN, the European Parliament, the OSCE, the Council of Europe. It is important to demand sanctions against those responsible for the persecution of LGBTQ+ activists and human rights defenders. It is also important to include LGBTQ+ topics and the Belarusian issue in media and civil sector newsletters.
5. Strategic Partnerships and Cooperation
    The young generation of activists from Belarus has a significant demand for alternative forms of support and cooperation beyond grant applications. Specifically, Belarusian initiatives have a strong demand for training and cooperation with the international community:
   - Creation of safe platforms for LGBTQ+ activists to interact with other democratic and human rights organizations.
   - Encouraging cross-sector cooperation.
   - Conducting training for NGOs on inclusive practices.
   - Development of exchange programs in advocacy and interaction with international structures.

Conclusion

Democratic change takes time and sustained support. It is a mistake to assume that activism in Belarus will "simply grow again" after another wave of repression. Without preserving institutional memory, supporting experience, and knowledge, the LGBTQ+ community will find itself even more vulnerable. We cannot afford to lose another generation of NGOs and initiatives. Solidarity and systemic support are the keys to a future where LGBTQ+ people’s rights will be protected. We are grateful to everyone who is walking this path with us.