Right-wing extremists | "Nius" wins against Liebich

The right-wing riot portal "Nius" reported a success on Tuesday: Marla-Svenja Liebich, formerly known as Sven Liebich, is now allowed to refer to herself as a man, despite her marital status being changed by "Nius" founder Julian Reichelt. The Berlin Regional Court clarified that freedom of expression outweighs the person's wish to be addressed with female pronouns in this case.

The background to this is the change in Liebich's gender registration at the registry office in Schkeuditz, Saxony, which was completed in the fall of 2024. Critics, however, saw this not as a step toward a serious transition , but rather as an attempt to ridicule the new Self-Determination Act , which came into force on November 1. Since then, no expert opinions or court decisions are required for a change in gender identity.

The lawsuit was triggered by a tweet from Reichelt, according to which the federal government was forcing "almost the entire German media landscape" to tell a grotesque untruth—namely, to refer to Liebich as a woman. Liebich filed an injunction against this, although it is unclear how serious this action was.

The Berlin Regional Court has now ruled that such statements are protected by freedom of expression – as long as they are based on facts and do not constitute defamatory criticism. Reichelt's lawyer, Joachim Steinhöfel, said of the ruling: "The Self-Determination Act is not a censorship law."

Liebich has been active in the right-wing extremist scene since the 1990s, leading a comradeship, organizing demonstrations, and running an online business selling relevant devotional items. As recently as 2023, he publicly incited hatred against queer people and warned of alleged "transfascism."

Liebich now faces prison for another charge: In July 2023, the Halle District Court sentenced the activist to one year and six months' imprisonment without parole for incitement to hatred, slander, and insult. Liebich's appeal and appeal on points of law were unsuccessful.

Also on Tuesday, the Halle public prosecutor's office announced that Liebich must now begin his sentence at Chemnitz Correctional Facility. The prison administration will decide which wing he will be assigned to after an admission interview. The current gender entry will be decisive, a spokesperson told the German Press Agency, emphasizing that an investigation into whether abuse has occurred is underway. No date for his sentence to begin was given, but a two-week period is usual.