Liebich's gender change: Justice fights against abuse of law!

Liebich's gender change: Justice fights against abuse of law!

On December 22, 2025, the case of Sven Liebich caused a stir and outrage. Liebich, who was renamed Marla Svenja in the summer, fled from prison and has changed his gender status: He now identifies as non-binary. This raises questions about the current regulations of the German justice system, particularly in the context of the newly introduced one Self-determination law, which came into force on November 1, 2024.

The convicted person had previously harshly criticized queer people, but now sees their gender requirement as an opportunity to challenge the justice system. In a written interview, Liebich said that he no longer wanted to be Marla Svenja because others had “spoiled” it for him. Despite these statements, the name Marla Svenja will be retained as it is considered a “brand”.

Criticism of the Self-Determination Act

The controversies surrounding Liebich show how Self-determination law can be exploited by right-wing extremists. Political opposition, particularly the CDU/CSU, has expressed concern about the possibility of misuse of the law, which grants more rights to trans, intersex and non-binary people. The CSU politician Dobrindt warns that Liebich's case should not become a precedent. The aim of this introduction of the law is to no longer make access to gender self-determination dependent on the hurdles of court proceedings or medical reports.

The fundamental goal of the Self-Determination Act is to strengthen the rights of trans, intersex and non-binary people, which is important for the legal recognition of their identities. The law allows adults to change their gender information through an informal declaration without the bureaucratic burden of previous laws. But critics see it as an easy target for abuse, particularly in the prison system, as Liebich's case reveals the law's weaknesses.

Legislative answers

The CSU regional group leader Hoffmann sees this case as a deterrent example and calls for reforms to close such loopholes. In contrast, SPD politician Wegge emphasizes that a comprehensive review of the law is planned for 2026 in the coalition agreement and that a hasty decision should be avoided. The outrage over Liebich's case has reignited the discussion about necessary security mechanisms to prevent abuse.

Regardless of gender identity, the justice system continues to make efforts to find Liebich. To date, there are no special accommodation areas for non-binary people in the German justice system, which makes the situation complicated for everyone involved. It therefore remains to be seen how the legal framework will develop in order to both protect the rights of those affected and prevent attempts at abuse.