Overview
- On November 27, the Freiheitsfonds paid outstanding penalties to secure releases, including Jens C. from JVA Siegburg, and says it has freed about 1,500 people since 2021.
- Several large cities have stopped filing criminal complaints for riding without a ticket, including Cologne, Mainz and Dresden, while Stadtwerke Augsburg will keep referring repeat cases after two detections in six months.
- Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig indicated she could support decriminalization, and the Left and the Greens have introduced bills to remove fare evasion from the criminal code.
- Research cited by Nicole Bögelein estimates 8,000 to 9,000 people are affected by custodial penalties tied to fare evasion, disproportionately impacting poor, unhoused and addiction-affected individuals.
- A day in custody costs about €200 and activists estimate public spending of roughly €120 million a year on enforcement and incarceration, with the €60 surcharge still charged regardless of criminal referral.