German far-right activist Sven Liebich, 54, who was convicted in 2023 of hate speech and given an 18-month jail term, has legally changed gender to female under Germany’s new Self-Determination Act. The law, which took effect this year, allows adults to alter their legal sex through a simple administrative declaration once a year. Liebich, now registered as Marla Svenja Liebich, has been transferred from a men’s facility to Chemnitz women’s prison in the eastern state of Saxony, according to regional justice authorities. The relocation is the first widely reported test of the self-ID rules in the federal prison system. The move has ignited debate over the adequacy of safeguards in the legislation, which was passed by the former Social Democrat–Green–Free Democrat coalition to replace Germany’s 1980s-era trans law. Conservative lawmakers and some women’s rights groups argue the statute can be exploited by male inmates seeking access to female facilities, while supporters say it modernises outdated procedures and aligns with human-rights standards. Justice Minister Marco Buschmann has asked state authorities for a review of placement guidelines, but no immediate changes to the law are planned.