A heated dispute has emerged in Germany over the prison placement of transgender far-right extremist Marla-Svenja Liebich.
In July 2023, a court in Saxony-Anhalt sentenced Liebich, previously known as Sven Liebich, to 18 months behind bars without parole for incitement to hatred, defamation, and insults.
She lost her appeal. Once linked to the outlawed neo-Nazi network Blood and Honour, Liebich has a history of extremist activity.
At the end of 2024, she formally changed her gender marker and name under Germany’s Self-Determination Act, which introduced a simplified process for legal gender change.
The timing of her transition has raised doubts in German media, as she has been known for hostile remarks against LGBTQ communities.
Liebich is expected to enter Chemnitz women’s prison on 29 August. Officials stated that her final placement will be assessed on arrival, with the possibility of transfer if she is deemed a security risk.
Separately, she recently lost a legal case against journalist Julian Reichelt, after a Berlin court dismissed her attempt to block him from referring to her by her former identity.