Homyel'skaya 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
- ✔ Legal
- Non-Binary Gender Recognition
- ✖ Not legally recognized
- 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
- Conversion Therapy
- ✖ Not banned
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
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Public Opinion
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Homosexual activity in Homyel'skaya 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
Same-sex marriage in Homyel'skaya voblasts is banned.
Current status
Since Nov 26, 1996
Banned
Article 32 of the Constitution of Belarus defines marriage to be exclusively between a man and woman.
Censorship of LGBT issues in Homyel'skaya voblasts is imprisonment as punishment.
Current status
Since Jan 1, 2020
Imprisonment as punishment
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.
State-enforced
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".
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 Homyel'skaya voblasts is legal, but requires medical diagnosis.
Current status
Since Dec 10, 2010
Legal, but requires medical diagnosis
Permit for the operation by which a man's body changed to female or vice versa, get about four a year.
In Belarus, such permission shall issue a specially created interdepartmental commission on medical, psychological and social rehabilitation of persons with the syndrome of denial of sex. It is composed of 15 experts of the ministries of Health, Defense, Interior, Justice, Education. The Commission refers the patient to a mental health and psycho-sexological examination. A year later, after a thorough examination by psychiatrists, sexologists, urologists, gynecologists, endocrinologists and geneticists, the board makes a decision - to change this person or not.
In Belarus, such permission shall issue a specially created interdepartmental commission on medical, psychological and social rehabilitation of persons with the syndrome of denial of sex. It is composed of 15 experts of the ministries of Health, Defense, Interior, Justice, Education. The Commission refers the patient to a mental health and psycho-sexological examination. A year later, after a thorough examination by psychiatrists, sexologists, urologists, gynecologists, endocrinologists and geneticists, the board makes a decision - to change this person or not.
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 Homyel'skaya voblasts is legal.
Current status
Since Jan 1, 2002
Legal
In 2002, Belarus adopted the ICD-10 classification, which contains codes for diagnosing transsexualism in adulthood and childhood, which authorize the initiation of medical transition.
Legal, but restricted for minors
In 1983, transsexualism began to be professionally diagnosed in the Soviet Union, which allowed the prescription of hormone therapy
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 Homyel'skaya voblasts is not legally recognized.
Current status
Not legally recognized
Belarus does not recognize non-binary gender identities and it is not likely to recognize them in the near future.
LGBT discrimination in Homyel'skaya voblasts is no protections.
Current status
Since Aug 25, 1991
No protections
Even though article 22 states all citizens are equal, sexual orientations and gender identities are not included in the forms of discriminations covered.
LGBT housing discrimination in Homyel'skaya voblasts is no protections.
Current status
Since Aug 25, 1991
No protections
No protection
Same-sex adoption in Homyel'skaya 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 Homyel'skaya 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 Homyel'skaya 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 Homyel'skaya voblasts is legal.
Current status
Legal
No particular limitation for homosexuals. All the procedures and requirements are the same for all donors.
Conversion therapy in Homyel'skaya voblasts is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
Unknown.
Equal age of consent in Homyel'skaya 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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Homyel'skaya voblasts LGBT Organizations
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Alternative names: Gomel, Gomelskaja Oblastʿ, Gomelskaya Oblastʿ, Gomelʿ, Homelskaja Voblastsʿ, Homelskaya Voblastsʿ, Homiel, Homyel