A German individual, identified as a transgender right-wing extremist with a history of convictions, has been apprehended in the Czech Republic after evading authorities for several months. The arrest occurred in the eastern Czech town of Krásná, approximately 100 kilometers east of Prague.
The individual, Marla-Svenja Liebich, formerly known as Sven, failed to report to a prison in Chemnitz, Germany, in August 2025. She was scheduled to begin an 18-month sentence. Liebich’s legal troubles stem from a conviction in July 2023 by the Halle District Court in Saxony-Anhalt. The court imposed a sentence of one year and six months imprisonment, without the possibility of parole, for charges including incitement to hatred, defamation, and insult, all stemming from extreme right-wing activities.
Liebich’s appeal against this sentence was unsuccessful. At the time of her conviction, she was publicly identified as Sven Liebich. A spokesperson for the Halle public prosecutor’s office confirmed to the BBC that Liebich is currently in custody in the Czech Republic and is expected to be extradited to Germany.
A significant development in Liebich’s personal life occurred at the end of 2024 when her legal gender marker was officially changed from male to female. This change was accompanied by a modification of her first name. The legal basis for this transition was Germany’s recently enacted Self-Determination Act. This legislation simplifies the process for transgender individuals to alter their gender markers and first names by allowing a declaration at a registry office, bypassing the previous requirement for judicial proceedings.
However, Liebich’s gender transition has drawn scrutiny, with German media outlets questioning its authenticity. Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) publicly accused Marla-Svenja Liebich of exploiting the Self-Determination Act, stating to ZDF TV that the gender change appeared to be “a clear case of abuse.”
Reports from the “Mitteldeutsche Zeitung” indicate that at the time of her arrest, Liebich presented with a shaved head and was wearing men’s clothing. It is understood that Liebich made a brief attempt to evade capture. The Halle public prosecutor’s office spokesperson has not provided specific details regarding Liebich’s appearance at the time of her arrest.