Overview

• Prosecutors confirmed an arrest warrant after Marla‑Svenja Liebich failed to appear at the Chemnitz facility to begin an 18‑month sentence for hate speech and related offenses.
• Police said an audio message played at a rally indicated Liebich may have been moved to a third country, a claim that remains unverified as a search is underway.
• Liebich changed legal gender and name shortly after the Selbstbestimmungsgesetz took effect in November 2024, using the law’s simplified declaration process.
• Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt calls the move a misuse and urges reforms, while SPD figures reject broad rollbacks and point to a scheduled evaluation by July 2026.
• Justice officials stress prison placement is determined case by case and not solely by registered gender, with intake assessments guiding housing and safety measures.