#WeStandBYyou: Four new godparenthoods from Germany

As part of our #WeStandBYyou campaign, Maria Noichl (Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands), Lars Rohwer (Christlich Demokratische Union), as well as Britta Haßelmann and Ophelia Nick (both Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) are taking on the godparenthood for Kseniya Alkenava, Alena Yelkina, Uladzimir Labkovich and Palina Pitkevich.

Uladzimir Labkovich is a lawyer at the Belarusian human rights centre, Viasna. On 14 July 2021, he was arrested alongside other Viasna members, Ales Bialiatski and Valiantsin Stefanovich. Uladzimir was sentenced to seven years in prison and a substantial fine on the basis of flimsy charges of ‘financing activities aimed at violating public order’ (Art. 342-2) and ‘smuggling’ (Art. 228). His health has deteriorated rapidly during his detention; he complains of frequent headaches, insomnia, and impaired vision.

Britta Haßelmann is a member of the German Bundestag for the Bündnis 90/Die Grünen party. With her second godparenthood, she supports Uladzimir Labkovich and states: Uladzimir Labkovich is a political prisoner in Belarus. A lawyer by profession, he worked for the human rights organisation Viasna and campaigned for human rights and free and fair elections in Belarus. He was arrested on 14 July 2021 and, in spring 2023, sentenced to seven years in a penal colony, alongside the other two board members of the organisation, Valiantsin Stefanovich and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski. Currently, over 1,200 people are in Belarusian prisons for penal colonies for campaigning for peace, democracy, freedom, and fair elections. These are human rights, not crimes. I call for the release of all political prisoners in Belarus.”

Kseniya Alkenava worked in IT and donated a total of $425 to Belarusian solidarity initiatives. She was arrested on 11 March 2023 and sentenced to four years in prison for allegedly ‘financing extremist activities’ (Art. 361-2).

Maria Noichl is a Member of the European Parliament for the Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands. She is a substitute member of the Subcommittee on Human Rights and is already taking on her third godparenthood. This time, she is standing in solidarity with Kseniya Alkenava. She explains: “In September 2023, Kseniya Alkenava was convicted for her donations. Her arrest and home search were also broadcast on TV. Cash, an opposition Belarusian flag, and office equipment were confiscated. This young woman has been a political prisoner for almost two years. She campaigned for a democratic Belarus, opposed the regime, and was even publicly displayed in Lukashenko’s propaganda. For years, this young woman has been a political prisoner. She fought for a democratic Belarus and stood up against the regime. Kseniya knew the dangers her stance entailed. She knew what the Belarusian regime was and is capable of, yet she did not let that deter her from fighting for a free Belarus. Her courage and commitment are exemplary. She and all the other political prisoners are a beacon of hope in the darkness of Belarus’s dictatorship. Therefore, it is essential to support the democracy movement. I call on Mr Lukashenko, in no uncertain terms, to release Kseniya Alkenava and all other political prisoners immediately!”

Alena Yelkina worked as a dentist and was active on a Telegram channel that was classified as an ‘extremist group’ by the regime. She was arrested on 15 May 2024 and sentenced to an unknown term of imprisonment for ‘founding or participating in an extremist group’ (Art. 361-1) and ‘inciting the endangerment of national security’ (Art. 361). The KGB also lists her as a ‘terrorist’.

Lars Rohwer is a member of the German Bundestag for the Christlich Demokratische Union. He is taking on his second godparenthood and will be supporting Alena Yelkina and says of his support: “Freedom of expression and assembly are fundamental rights to which every human being is entitled. In Belarus, however, these rights, along with many others, have been systematically suppressed for years. Almost five years have passed since the clearly rigged presidential elections, yet the authoritarian regime remains firmly in power. No one is safe from state arbitrariness.
Despite the repression, many Belarusians have not given up fighting for freedom and democracy. One of them is Alena Yelkina, a doctor. She was arrested for running a Telegram channel that criticised the regime, and her whereabouts are currently unknown. The state’s brutal crackdown on civil society is shocking and unacceptable.
I therefore call for the immediate release of Alena Yelkina and all political prisoners in Belarus. The people of Belarus must be given back their fundamental rights – only then will a peaceful and free Belarus be possible.”

Palina Pitkevich wrote about cultural issues as a journalist for an independent Belarusian media outlet. On 6 June 2024, she was arrested in connection with her work and sentenced to three years in prison for “creating or participating in an extremist organisation” (Art. 361-1).

Ophelia Nick is a member of the German Bundestag for the Bündnis 90/Die Grünen party. She has become the godparent of Palina Pitkevich and has issued the following statement: “Palina Pitkevich is a journalist and theatre lover who mainly wrote about cultural topics for the independent Belarusian portal Media IQ. In June 2024, just weeks before her 30th birthday, Palina was arrested after the Belarusian regime classified Media IQ as ‘extremist’. In March 2025, she was sentenced to three years in prison. Independent journalism is not a crime, and freedom of expression is a human right! I call for the immediate release of Palina Pitkevich and all other political prisoners.”