Overview
- Justice Minister Constanze Geiert announced the end of the seasonal early-release practice after a cabinet meeting in Dresden on October 21, stating that punishment should not depend on the calendar.
- The ministry presented the decision as promoting equality before the law and consistent, reliable enforcement of sentences.
- Officials cited administrative relief, noting that extensive checks produced diminishing results as beneficiaries fell from 62 in 2020 to 11 in 2024.
- Existing law still allows early release when a regular release date falls between December 21 and January 2, and prisons may continue holiday relaxations such as unaccompanied leave.
- Former justice minister Katja Meier, who introduced the policy in 2020, criticized the reversal as a step that elevates punishment over resocialization.