Marla-Svenja Liebich, formerly, Sven Liebich, a far-right activist photographed at rallies in Nazi-style uniforms and armbands, was sentenced in July 2023 for offences including slander and incitement to hatred. Her final appeal was rejected earlier this year. She is now set to enter Chemnitz women’s prison in Saxony, according to the newspaper FAZ.

Prison authorities said her placement was determined by her legally registered gender, rather than her biological sex. However, Saxony’s senior prosecutor, Dennis Cernota, confirmed Liebich would be assessed on arrival to determine whether she posed a risk to other inmates. She could be transferred if found to be a danger.

Liebich changed her gender under reforms introduced by Olaf Scholz’s coalition government last year, which simplified the process of updating name and gender on official documents.

Now registered as Marla-Svenja Liebich, she has recently been pictured wearing women’s clothing – yet continues to sport a moustache. Earlier this year she said she requested a transfer to a women’s prison to avoid “discrimination” from male prisoners, who may target her for being a neo-Nazi.

Germany’s domestic intelligence services in Saxony classify her as a “right-wing extremist” with activity across the state and nationwide. She has been seen at protests wearing Nazi-style insignia, including an armband marked “Sicherheits-Abteilung” – a reference to the SA, Hitler’s stormtrooper division.

Initially, German officials maintained that her change of gender was recognised only under civil law and that she remained legally male within the prison system. Since the reforms, however, a mere declaration to authorities is sufficient to change gender on official documents, though individuals must wait a year before making another change.

Mr Scholz has defended the policy as a step towards modernisation. “We show respect to trans, intersex and non-binary people, without taking anything away from others. This is how we continue to drive the modernisation of our country. This includes recognising realities of life and making them possible by law,” he said.