Prostitution laws in BelarusБеларусь
Belarus penalises the person who sells sex: engaging in prostitution is an administrative offence punishable by a fine of 6 to 20 base units, community work or administrative arrest, and a repeat within a year by 20 to 30 base units, community work or arrest (Article 19.5 of the 2021 Code of Administrative Offences). Buying sex is not an offence. Under Article 171 of the Criminal Code, organising or "using" another person's prostitution (deriving any benefit from it), knowingly providing premises for it for gain, or keeping a den for prostitution carries two to five years' restriction of liberty or three to five years' imprisonment with a fine; drawing a person into prostitution is punished under Article 171-1. The Law on Advertising prohibits advertising sexual services, including when presented as massage, relaxation or companionship.
Legal model
Selling and buying prohibited. Selling sex is an offence (criminal or administrative), whether or not buying is.
Selling sex is an administrative offence (Article 19.5 of the 2021 Code of Administrative Offences, fine, community work or administrative arrest). Buying is not an offence. Organising or profiting from another person's prostitution, keeping a den and providing premises are crimes (Article 171 of the Criminal Code).[1][2]
At a glance
| Question | Status | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Selling sexual services | Illegal Administrative offence | Engaging in prostitution is punishable by a fine of 6 to 20 base units, community work or administrative arrest; a repeat within a year after a penalty is punishable by 20 to 30 base units, community work or arrest.[1] |
| Buying sexual services | Legal | Paying an adult for sex is not an offence; the administrative offence in Article 19.5 targets the person engaging in prostitution, and no offence directed at buyers was found in the Code of Administrative Offences.[1] |
| Brothels and managed venues | Illegal Criminal offence | Knowingly providing premises for prostitution for gain, or organising or keeping a den for prostitution, is punishable by two to five years' restriction of liberty or three to five years' imprisonment with a fine; five to ten years in aggravated cases.[2] |
| Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping) | Illegal Criminal offence | Organising or using another person's prostitution, defined as deriving material or other benefit from another person's voluntary provision of sexual services, carries the same penalty as brothel keeping. Drawing a person into prostitution or compelling them to continue is punishable by arrest, restriction of liberty of up to three years or one to three years' imprisonment with a fine.[2] |
| Advertising sexual services | Illegal Administrative offence | The Law on Advertising prohibits advertising sexual services, including under the guise of psychological help, companionship, relaxation, massage or other lawful activity, and advertising aimed at drawing people into providing sexual services. Breaches of advertising law are administrative offences carrying fines for advertisers, producers and distributors of ads.[1][3] |
The law in detail
Selling sexual services
Engaging in prostitution is punishable by a fine of 6 to 20 base units, community work or administrative arrest; a repeat within a year after a penalty is punishable by 20 to 30 base units, community work or arrest.[1]
Administrative arrest lasts up to fifteen days (Art. 6.6 КоАП).
Checked 30 October 2026
Buying sexual services
Paying an adult for sex is not an offence; the administrative offence in Article 19.5 targets the person engaging in prostitution, and no offence directed at buyers was found in the Code of Administrative Offences.[1]
Checked 30 October 2026
Brothels and managed venues
Knowingly providing premises for prostitution for gain, or organising or keeping a den for prostitution, is punishable by two to five years' restriction of liberty or three to five years' imprisonment with a fine; five to ten years in aggravated cases.[2]
Checked 30 October 2026
Third parties profiting (procuring / pimping)
Organising or using another person's prostitution, defined as deriving material or other benefit from another person's voluntary provision of sexual services, carries the same penalty as brothel keeping. Drawing a person into prostitution or compelling them to continue is punishable by arrest, restriction of liberty of up to three years or one to three years' imprisonment with a fine.[2]
Checked 30 October 2026
Advertising sexual services
The Law on Advertising prohibits advertising sexual services, including under the guise of psychological help, companionship, relaxation, massage or other lawful activity, and advertising aimed at drawing people into providing sexual services. Breaches of advertising law are administrative offences carrying fines for advertisers, producers and distributors of ads.[1][3]
Note. The prohibition sits in the general requirements for advertising (Article 10); the paragraph number was not identified. Application to foreign websites was not checked.
Checked 30 October 2026
Key legislation
| Law | What it does here | In force |
|---|---|---|
| Кодекс Республики Беларусь об административных правонарушениях от 6 января 2021 г. № 91-З Code of Administrative Offences (2021) ст. 19.5 · ст. 13.9 | Article 19.5 makes engaging in prostitution an administrative offence; Article 13.9 sanctions breaches of advertising law.[1] | |
| Уголовный кодекс Республики Беларусь от 9 июля 1999 г. № 275-З Criminal Code (1999, as amended) ст. 171 · ст. 171-1 | Articles 171 and 171-1 criminalise organising, profiting from and drawing people into prostitution.[2] | |
| Закон Республики Беларусь «О рекламе» от 10 мая 2007 г. № 225-З Law on Advertising (2007, as amended) ст. 10 | Prohibits advertising sexual services, including disguised offers.[3] |
Sources
- Кодекс Республики Беларусь об административных правонарушениях от 6 января 2021 г. № 91-З (Code of Administrative Offences (2021)). Национальный правовой Интернет-портал Республики Беларусь (pravo.by), 6 January 2021. legislation · accessed 30 October 2026
- Уголовный кодекс Республики Беларусь от 9 июля 1999 г. № 275-З (Criminal Code (1999)). Национальный правовой Интернет-портал Республики Беларусь (pravo.by). legislation · accessed 30 October 2026
- Закон Республики Беларусь «О рекламе» от 10 мая 2007 г. № 225-З (Law on Advertising (2007)). Национальный правовой Интернет-портал Республики Беларусь (pravo.by). legislation · accessed 30 October 2026