Minsk, December 29, 2017
According to the concerned citizens, such advertisements discredit Belarus in the eyes of citizens of states with stable moral-ethical norms, promote sexual promiscuity, have a negative impact on the formation of values in children, and form the image of women as nothing but sex objects.
More than 1,300 Belarusians have signed a petition calling for a ban on the use of indecent images of “half-naked men and women” in advertising. The petition mentions specific advertising from sports food stores, perfume manufacturers, and lingerie brands, reports marketing.by.
The petition was forwarded to the National Assembly’s Ministry of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade (MART), the Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Culture, and the Minsk City Council, as MART is responsible for implementing state policy in the field of advertising, and for monitoring advertisements.
The signees specifically call for recognizing as improper those outdoor and subway and shopping center advertisements which contain images of half-naked men and women (mostly concerning women’s underwear and tanning beds), and for amending the Republic of Belarus law “On Advertising” accordingly.
According to the concerned citizens, such advertisements discredit Belarus in the eyes of citizens of states with stable moral-ethical norms, tarnish objects of historical-cultural value, promote sexual promiscuity, have a negative impact on the formation of values in children, and form the image of women as nothing but sex objects, and so on.
Several advertisement examples were sent to the Ministry of Culture, where experts will determine if any of them have any objectionable erotic content. Results will then be sent to MART, after which it will decide how to further proceed, although the ministry has already recommended that such advertisements not be used.
