Lives behind bars: Eva Bredow-Cordier took under her wing Belarusian female political prisoners sentenced to forced treatment and 10 years in prison

Darmstadt / Frankfurt am Main, August 31, 2026 – Darmstadt local politician Eva Bredow-Cordier (Alliance 90/The Greens) is making a clear statement in support of human rights: In cooperation with the International Society for Human Rights (ISHR), the parliamentary group chairwoman has assumed political godparenthood for two women from Belarus who are being persecuted for political reasons. Together, they are demanding the immediate and unconditional release of the artist Neli Alfiorawa and the young Aliaksandra Pulinovich, both of whom are suffering under brutal repressions by the Lukashenko regime.

Fates Behind Bars: Involuntary Psychiatric Treatment and Ten Years in Prison

Artist Neli Alfiorawa engaged as an independent election observer for democratic rights and consequently fell into the crosshairs of the Belarusian authorities. Under the pretext of alleged «insulting a representative of state authority,» involuntary psychiatric treatment was ordered in June 2024 instead of a prison sentence — without a corresponding medical report. To this day, it remains unclear where and under what conditions she is being held.

The situation was even more drastic for Aliaksandra Pulinovich: She was only 16 years old and still a student when she was arrested on January 12, 2024. Authorities accused her, among other things, of «preparing acts of terrorism.» Instead of being able to fulfill her dream of studying veterinary medicine, the teenager was sentenced to more than ten years in prison.

Responsibility and International Solidarity

«Through my political godparenthood for Neli Alfiorawa and Aliaksandra Pulinovich, I want to help ensure that their fate is not forgotten. Placing an artist in a psychiatric facility demonstrates in a terrifying way the methods the Belarusian regime uses against critical voices,» explains Eva Bredow-Cordier. Behind political persecution, there are always real people with their families, their hopes, and their futures,» says the Darmstadt politician. She views it as her political and human responsibility to raise public awareness for Aliaksandra and Neli, to keep their names remembered, and to set an example of international solidarity through her godparenthood.»
– Parliamentary Group Chairwoman Darmstadt Eva Bredow-Cordier

ISHR Documents Systematic Human Rights Violations

Through its political godparenthood program, the ISHR draws targeted attention to individual cases in the rogue state of Belarus. In addition to the release of the two women, the human rights organization and the sponsor demand an immediate end to systematic torture in Belarusian detention facilities as well as an end to the Lukashenko regime’s support for the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.

Since the fraudulent presidential elections in 2020, freedom of the press and expression in Belarus has been virtually wiped out. According to human rights organizations, hundreds of political prisoners are currently being held in detention;

Patin Eva Bredow-Cordier