In brief
Marla-Svenja Liebich, a German transgender far-right extremist, was arrested in the Czech Republic under a European warrant. Previously sentenced for hate speech, Liebich's recent gender transition has sparked debate over potential misuse of Germany’s Self-Determination Act. Authorities are now looking to extradite her back to Germany.
A convicted German transgender right-wing extremist, who has been on the run for months, has been arrested in the Czech Republic.
Liebich was arrested on the basis of a European arrest warrant in Krásná in the east of the country, some 100km (62 miles) east of the capital, Prague.
In August 2025, Marla-Svenja Liebich, formerly known as Sven, failed to appear at the prison in the German town of Chemnitz, where she was to serve an 18-month jail term.
German media reports say Liebich used to be a member of a neo-Nazi group called Blood and Honour.
In July 2023, Liebich was sentenced by the Halle District Court in Saxon-Anhalt to a total of one year and six months in prison without parole for extreme right incitement to hatred, defamation, and insult.
Liebich appealed against the sentence and lost.
At the time she was known as Sven Liebich.
A spokesperson for the Halle public prosecutor's office stated that Liebich was now in custody in the Czech Republic. Liebich is expected to be extradited to Germany.
At the end of 2024, Liebich had her gender entry in official records changed from male to female and changed her first name as permitted by Germany's Self-Determination Act, which simplifies the process for gender identity recognition.
German media have questioned whether Liebich's transition was genuine, with some suggesting it was an attempt to evade law enforcement. This sentiment was echoed by German Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, who criticized the move as potential abuse of the Act.
Notably, at the time of her arrest, reports indicate that Liebich was wearing men's clothing and had a shaved head, leading to further speculation about her transition.
The spokesperson for the Halle public prosecutor's office has not commented on Liebich's appearance.
