Germany’s neighbors have confirmed that the Czech Republic can extradite the convicted right-wing extremist Sven Liebich, who also uses the alias Marla Svenja Liebich, to Germany. The Prague High Court (the Oberostesgericht in Prag) rejected the 55-year-old’s appeals against extradition, ruling that they were unfounded. The court thereby upheld the decision of the lower court.
Within ten days, Czech authorities are expected to report to the State Criminal Police Office in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, according to Dennis Cernota, the senior public prosecutor in Halle, speaking to dpa. In Germany, the Halle public prosecutor’s office serves as the responsible enforcement authority in this case. It is anticipated that Liebich will be transferred within the next ten days from the Czech Republic to the women’s correctional facility in Chemnitz, Saxony. Once there, the decision about whether he will serve the sentence at that facility or be placed elsewhere rests with the administration of the prison in Chemnitz.
Earlier this month, a Czech district court in Pilsen (Plzeň) had already ruled that Liebich should be handed over to German authorities for the execution of his sentence (TheColu.mn reported). The right-wing extremist had been convicted in Germany in August 2024 of incitement to hatred, defamation, and insult, resulting in a total prison term of one year and six months without parole (TheColu.mn reported). Liebich did not begin serving the sentence in Germany and fled at the end of August 2025 (TheColu.mn reported).
Befangenheitsantrag gegen Richterin abgewiesen
Liebich stated that he did not want to be brought to Germany because he feared for his life in a German male prison. He also filed a motion to disqualify the presiding judge handling the case in Pilsen. Both recusal and fear-of-harm complaints were dismissed in a closed session, and the decision is now final. The extradition, by default, is to proceed within ten days, with police authorities in charge of carrying it out, the court spokesperson confirmed.
The option still theoretically open to Liebich would be to appeal to the Constitutional Court in Brno (Brno), but that path is regarded as unlikely. The ultimate administrative decision on extradition rests with the Czech Minister of Justice, Jeroným Tejc. Tejc, a former member of the Social Democrats, had been nominated for the post by the right-wing populist ANO party led by Prime Minister Andrej Babiš.
Liebich was arrested on April 9 in Krasná near Asch (Aš) close to the German border after months of a Europe‑wide manhunt (TheColu.mn reported). He is currently in extradition custody at the Pilsen prison, a facility in western Czechia, notorious for its harsh conditions. The prison houses more than 1,200 inmates, including a number of violent offenders.
Liebich und der Missbrauch des Selbstbestimmungsgesetzes
Following his conviction, Liebich had his gender marker changed in January 2025—from male to female—and his name altered from Sven to Marla Svenja. Critics argued that these moves were provocative and represented an abuse of the Self‑Determination Act. Previously, Liebich had participated in demonstrations opposing Pride events and had spoken against trans people, warning of “Trans-Fascism.”
Earlier this year, Liebich took another step: he announced his intention to change his gender entry to “non-binary” and to rename himself “Anne Frank.” He insisted that the name match with the renowned symbol of Holocaust victims was purely coincidental and that any reference to Anne Frank was never intended. In March, the Halle district court announced that it would decide whether Liebich’s changes to his forename and gender could be reversed.
LGBTQ+ organizations criticized Liebich’s actions as a cynical attempt to ridicule the Self-Determination Act. The tactic appeared to gain some political traction as members of the AfD and the Union repeatedly called for abolishing or tightening the law, which has long been championed by trans rights activists and supporters. (dpa)
