Belarus, which has confronted sanctions from the USA for allying with Russia all through the nation’s invasion of Ukraine, has handed a legislation legalizing the piracy of media and mental property made in “unfriendly” nations.

As Vice studies, the legislation legalizes the piracy of digital items like laptop software program, films, and music that have been made by rights holders residing in “international states that commit unfriendly actions towards Belarusian authorized entities and (or) people.” It additionally permits for the import of bodily items with out the consent of rights holders in an effort to keep away from “a important scarcity within the home market of meals and different merchandise.” Based on Vice, royalties from the usage of sanctioned items can be held by the patent authority, and in the event that they aren’t collected by the rights holders inside three years, the Belarus authorities will take up the cash into its funds.

Belarus has confronted sanctions from the West for many years, ever since President Alexander Lukashenko, who has referred to himself as Europe’s “final dictator,” took energy in 1994. In 2020, the US tightened restrictions after the Belarus authorities cracked down on civil dissent following elections broadly seen as fraudulent. Then, after the nation aided Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Biden administration prevented corporations from exporting supplies that might help Belarus’ protection, aerospace and maritime industries. Biden additionally prevented know-how and software program from being routed by Belarus on its approach to Russia.