Climate Activist Begins Five-Month Prison Sentence for Protest Actions

Karl Braig, 69, becomes the first member of 'Letzte Generation' to serve a custodial sentence after refusing to pay a fine tied to civil disobedience.

Karl Braig, a 69-year-old climate activist, was sentenced to five months in prison after failing to comply with a court-ordered fine for his role in two road blockades in Passau in March 2023.
Braig, a long-time activist, has a history of civil disobedience, including protests against nuclear power and the Stuttgart 21 rail project, but this marks his first custodial sentence rather than an alternative penalty.
The activist refused to pay a €500 fine tied to his probation, citing his commitment to civil disobedience as a political statement.
Supporters and members of 'Letzte Generation' criticized the sentence as disproportionate and organized a farewell vigil outside the prison in Kempten as Braig began his term.
The case highlights growing legal pressures on climate activists in Germany, as harsher penalties and debates over criminalization of protest escalate globally.

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