Belarusian authorities have reportedly detained over 15 LGBTQ+ individuals, including eight transgender individuals, according to an announcement by the transgender rights organization TG House Belarus. The organization stated that these detentions occurred over the past month in various cities across Belarus. Allegations suggest that the individuals were apprehended for subscribing to extremist resources.
TG House Belarus further detailed that most of the transgender individuals faced charges of hooliganism, while two were charged with dissemination of pornography. The organization also alleged that detainees experienced both physical and psychological abuse, prompting some to flee the country for safety.
This crackdown comes amidst broader legislative measures targeting the LGBTQ+ community in Belarus. On February 19, Prosecutor General Andrei Shved announced a drafted law aimed at punishing the promotion of what the government deems as non-traditional relationships. Shved emphasized the need to prevent discussions on this topic, arguing that they threaten traditional family values and, by extension, the Belarusian state.
In a related development, the Council of the European Union on August 5 announced the extension of existing sanctions to include 28 new individuals. These sanctions were in response to continuous internal repression and human rights violations within Belarus. The newly sanctioned individuals include government officials, operators of correctional facilities, and members of state-controlled media, as listed in an EU regulation.
Initially, the EU sanctions against Belarus were introduced following the contentious 2020 elections, with further extensions due to ongoing human rights issues and violent actions against peaceful demonstrators. The EU’s objective with these sanctions is to exert pressure on Belarusian political leaders to prevent further violence and repression.
The full report on these detentions and other related events can be found here.