German far-right activist transferred to men's prison

A far-right activist who legally changed gender has been transferred from a women's to a men's prison in Germany following extradition from the Czech Republic. Officials in the eastern state of Saxony confirmed on July 16 that Marla-Svenja Liebich was moved on the same day she arrived at a women's facility in Chemnitz.

Liebich, 55, was extradited on July 15 and initially taken to the women's prison in accordance with Saxony's rules, which base placement on an inmate's legally registered gender. The decision to transfer Liebich to a men's prison was made by prison experts and management, according to the Saxony Ministry of Justice, which stated the justice minister was not involved. Saxony's Minister of Justice, Constanze Geiert, said it was good that the prison quickly set the record straight and did not get drawn into any theatrics.

The case centers on Liebich's legal gender change and a subsequent prison sentence. In 2023, while legally registered as male, Liebich was sentenced to 18 months in prison for offenses including incitement to hatred, insult, trespass, and defamation. After Germany's Self-Determination Act took effect on November 1, 2024, simplifying the process for...