Belarus recently legalized the ability to pirate music and other media from nations that are deemed as “unfriendly.”The Eastern European nation is notably one of Russia’s allies. This new law also comes after the United States sanctioned Belarus over the war in Ukraine. According to Vice, the temporary law was passed in December and is currently in effect until late 2024. The “unfriendly” nation piracy law includes “foreign states that commit unfriendly actions against Belarusian legal entities and (or) individuals,” which, in this case, very well could include the US and its allies. “The law states that the government will still collect royalties for the use of that material, but the royalties will be held by the patent authority,” Vice stated.

Source: Daily Nation January 11, 2023 00:06 UTC