In July 2020, exactly one month before the presidential elections in Belarus on 9 August 2020, Libereco has launched the solidarity campaign #WeStandBYyou. As part of this campaign, members of European parliaments take over godparenthood for political prisoners in the EU neighbouring state.

After the rigged voting, after which the authoritarian head of state Alexander Lukashenko declared himself the winner, the situation has worsened. Thousands of people have been arbitrarily arrested during the ongoing and nationwide peaceful protests against Lukashenko.

According to our Belarusian partner organisation Viasna, there are currently over 450 people arrested who are threatened with long prison sentences just because of their political commitment. Among these political prisoners are members of the Coordination Council, members of election campaign teams of independent presidential candidates, members of the opposition, bloggers and demonstrators.

With the #WeStandBYyou campaign, Libereco calls for solidarity with all people in Belarus who are committed to free and fair elections, democratization of the country, the rule of law and respect for human rights. All those who stand at the side of the politically persecuted in Belarus can express their solidarity by using the hashtag #WeStandBYyou in the social media and spread the campaign motif there.

Join our campaign now and download the poster as PDF or JPG file here! If  you are a member of a national parliament and would like to take over a prisoner’s godparenthood, please contact us directly: info@lphr.org.

As part of the campaign, MPs of European parliaments take over a godparenthood for political prisoners in Belarus and to work for their release.

191 Politicians have taken over a godparenthood so far

European Parliament:

    • Rasmus Andresen (Greens/European Free Alliance; Alliance 90/The Greens, Germany) – Igor Bancer (released on 19 March)
    • Barry Andrews (Renew Europe; Fianna Fáil, Ireland) – Siarhei Kryuchenia
    • Margrete Auken (Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats; Socialist People’s Party, Denmark) – Anatol Khinevich
    • Petras Austriavičius (Renew Europe; Liberal Movement, Lithuania) – Viktar Babaryka
    • Katarina Barley (Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats; Social Democratic Party, Germany) – Liliya Ulasava (released on 23 October 2020)
    • Katarina Barley (Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats; Social Democratic Party, Germany) – Alana Gebremariam
    • Nicola Beer (Renew Europe; Free Democratic Party, Germany) – Hanna Sunhurava (released on 20 April)
    • Hildegard Bentele (European People’s Party; Christian Democratic Union, Germany) – Yan Falkin
    • Robert Biedroń (Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats; Spring, Poland) – Illia Salei (released on 16 April)
    • Robert Biedroń (Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats; Spring, Poland) – Andrzej Poczobut
    • Delara Burkhardt (Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats; Social Democratic Party, Germany) – Aleh Mazhou 
    • Delara Burkhardt (Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats; Social Democratic Party, Germany) – Katsiaryna Andreyeva
    • Deirdre Clune (European People’s Party; Fine Gael, Ireland) – Leu Tsialipka
    • Viola von Cramon (Greens/European Free Alliance; Alliance 90/The Greens, Germany) – Viarhili Ushak (released on 29 July 2020)
    • Viola von Cramon (Greens/European Free Alliance; Alliance 90/The Greens, Germany) – Artsiom Kasakouski
    • Jakop Dalunde (Greens/European Free Alliance; Environmental Party the Greens, Sweden) –  Aliaksandr Tseleshman
    • Frances Fitzgerald (European People’s Party; Fine Gael, Ireland) – Volha Paulava
    • Tomasz Frankowski (European People’s Party; Civic Platform, Poland) – Andrei Novikau
    • Tomasz Frankowski (European People’s Party; Civic Platform, Poland) – Maryia Kalenik
    • Michael Gahler (European People’s Party; Christian Democratic Union, Germany) – Pavel Seviarynets
    • Evelyne Gebhardt (Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats; Social Democratic Party, Germany) – Safiya Malashevich
    • Markéta Gregorová (Greens/European Free Alliance; Czech Pirate Party, Czech Republic) – Kasya Budzko
    • Andrzej Halicki (European People’s Party; Civic Platform, Poland) – Siarhei Korshun
    • Hannes Heide (Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats; Social Democratic Party, Austria) – Raman Sidziuk
    • Monika Hohlmeier (European People’s Party; Christian Social Union, Germany) – Iryna Shchasnaya
    • Rasa Juknevičienė (European People’s Party; Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats, Lithuania) – Yury Ulasau
    • Billy Kelleher (European People’s Party; Fine Gael, Ireland) – Hleb Hatouka
    • Seán Kelly (European People’s Party; Fine Gael, Ireland) – Artsiom Miadzvedski
    • Dietmar Köster (Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats; Social Democratic Party, Germany) – Alena Maushuk
    • Sergey Lagodinsky (Greens/European Free Alliance; Alliance 90/The Greens, Germany) – Maksim Znak
    • Katrin Langensiepen (Greens/European Free Alliance; Alliance 90/The Greens, Germany) – Anton Bialenski (released on 5 March)
    • Lukas Mandl (European People’s Party; Austrian People’s Party, Austria) – Dzianis Kireshchanka
    • Erik Marquardt (Greens/European Free Alliance; Alliance 90/The Greens, Germany) – Dzmitry Furmanau
    • Karen Melchior (Renew Europe; Radical Liberals, Denmark) – Yauhen Kurhanau
    • Niklas Nienaß (Greens/European Free Alliance; Alliance 90/The Greens, Germany) – Dzmitry Kazlou
    • Andreas Schieder (Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats; Social Democratic Party, Austria) – Yury Savitski
    • Radosław Sikorski (European People’s Party; Civic Platform, Poland) – Siarhei Tsikhanouski
    • Ivan Štefanec (European People’s Party; Christian Democratic Movement, Slovakia) – Hleb Fitsner
    • Tineke Strik (Greens/European Free Alliance; GreenLeft, The Netherlands) – Aliaksandr Aranovich
    • Sabine Verheyen (European People’s Party; Christian Democratic Union, Germany) – Ruslan Parfionau
    • Thomas Waitz (Greens/European Free Alliance; The Greens, Austria) – Ksenia Syramalot

German Bundestag:

Swiss National Council and Council of States:

Irish Upper and Lower House:

British House of Lords and House of Commons:

Austrian National Council:

Swedish Riksdag:

Dutch House of Representatives:

Belgian Chamber of Representatives:

(last updated: 12 June)