A German transgender far-right extremist, who had been on the run for months, has been arrested in the Czech Republic, while Marla-Svenja Liebich, formerly known as Sven, was taken into custody in Krásná, located approximately 100km east of Prague, based on a European arrest warrant.

Background of the Arrest

In August 2025, Liebich failed to appear at a prison in Chemnitz, Germany, where she was scheduled to serve an 18-month jail term. German media reported that Liebich had previously been a member of a neo-Nazi group known as Blood and Honour.

In July 2023, the Halle District Court in Saxony-Anhalt sentenced Liebich to one year and six months in prison without parole for extreme right incitement to hatred, defamation, and insult. Liebich appealed the sentence but lost. At the time, she was known as Sven Liebich.

Legal and Personal Developments

A spokesperson for the Halle public prosecutor’s office confirmed that Liebich is now in custody in the Czech Republic. She is expected to be extradited to Germany. According to reports, Liebich had her gender entry in official records changed from male to female at the end of 2024. She also changed her first name.

The basis for this change was Germany’s Self-Determination Act, which had recently come into force and strengthened the rights of transgender people. The Act allows individuals to change their gender marker and first name through a simple declaration at a registry office, instead of requiring a judicial ruling.

German media have questioned whether Liebich’s transition was genuine. Last year, Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) accused Liebich of abusing the Self-Determination Act. ‘The gender change appears to be a clear case of abuse here,’ Dobrindt told ZDF TV.

Details of the Arrest

According to reports in the ‘Mitteldeutsche Zeitung,’ Liebich was wearing men’s clothing and had a shaved head at the time of her arrest. It is understood that she briefly attempted to evade capture. However, the spokesperson for the Halle public prosecutor’s office has not commented on Liebich’s appearance.

The arrest marks a significant development in the ongoing legal battle involving Liebich, who has been a subject of controversy due to her far-right affiliations and her use of the Self-Determination Act. German authorities are now seeking to extradite her back to Germany to serve her sentence.

The case has raised questions about the potential misuse of legal protections for transgender individuals and the balance between personal rights and legal accountability. As Liebich awaits extradition, the situation continues to draw attention from both legal and media circles.