Sven Liebich, 53, is in the process of appealing the 18-month jail sentence he's been serving in a men's prison in Saxony, per the New York Post. The felon, who has changed his name to Marla-Svenja Liebich, said “I am afraid of discrimination” in a statement.
Despite the legal gender change, Liebich hasn't changed appearance and has even grown his beard out longer. Local German news outlets have stated that he only made the move to get transferred to a female-only prison, however officials have stated that his gender change does not guarantee relocation.
“There is no automatic guarantee that a man will be sent to a women’s prison after changing his gender and name,” a spokesperson for the local prosecutor’s office said. “In each case, there will be an individual review.”
A spokesman for Germany's federal criminal register has also stated that the move would not impact Liebich's criminal record. “The physical legal person remains. A change in the civil status law is of secondary importance,” the rep said.
Liebich, who has ties to the neo-Nazi party Homeland and the right-wing Alternative for Germany party, is known for organizing a weekly demonstration known as the "Montagsdemo" which protests against the government of the German Democratic Republic (GDR). He has also been seen wearing Nazi-style armbands and participating in rallies while wearing red, white, and black flags.
