A German far-right activist, Marla-Svenja Libich, who legally changed her gender to female in 2024, was transferred to a men’s prison after being extradited to Germany from the Czech Republic, officials said on Thursday.
Libich arrived in Germany on Wednesday and was initially placed in a women’s prison in Chemnitz, located in the eastern German state of Saxony. However, she was moved to a men’s prison the same day, according to the Saxony Ministry of Justice.
The decision to transfer her was made by experts in consultation with the prison management, and the Minister of Justice did not take part in this decision, the statement noted. Saxony’s Minister of Justice, Konstanze Gaertner, remarked: “It is good that the prison quickly corrected the situation and did not succumb to provocations.”
Libich’s legal gender change has ignited controversy regarding the placement of prisoners in Germany’s correctional facilities. She was convicted in 2023, while still legally a man, and sentenced to 18 months in prison for offenses including incitement to hatred, insult, trespassing, and defamation.
Self-Identification Law and Escape
Following the enactment of the German Self-Identification Law on November 1, 2024, which allows individuals to change their gender information on official documents, Libich legally changed her gender to female. This necessitated her transfer to the women’s prison in Chemnitz under Saxony’s prison regulations. Subsequently, criticism emerged, with some accusing her of exploiting the law and warning of possible loopholes.
In August of last year, Libich failed to report to the women’s facility and escaped. Czech police apprehended her earlier this year in a city near the German border. During an extradition hearing in the Czech Republic in May, she expressed her opposition to returning to Germany, citing fears of being placed in a men’s prison.
Source: South China Morning Post
