Hamburg's Freedom Fund sets an example: 110 people freed!

Hamburg's Freedom Fund sets an example: 110 people freed!

In Hamburg, a current initiative is causing a stir that vehemently opposes the criminal prosecution of fare evaders. As T-Online reports, a woman from Hamburg was arrested and sentenced to 50 days in prison because she was unable to pay the fine for fare evasion. She was released after just six days in the Billwerder prison after the “Freedom Fund” initiative paid the sum of 440 euros for her release.

June 12th, also known as “Freedom Day”, fell on a special date this year: on this day, a total of 110 people were ransomed by the initiative. The “Freedom Fund” is an important voice in the debate about the decriminalization of fare evasion and would like to abolish the controversial Section 265a of the Criminal Code. The organization, which was launched in 2021, has now gotten 1,396 people out of prison, saving the state costs of almost 20 million euros.

Background of the initiative

It is estimated that up to 9,000 people in Germany end up in prison every year because they cannot pay the fines for fare evasion. People with modest financial circumstances are often particularly affected - according to studies, 87 percent of those affected are unemployed and 15 percent live without a permanent address. Many also struggle with mental or physical illnesses. An open letter from 128 scientists has called for the deletion of paragraph 265a and pointed out the social injustice that results from the criminalization of fare evasion.

The discussion about criminal law reform is also gaining momentum in the Bundestag. On January 26, 2023, the Bundestag dealt with draft laws and motions from the Die Linke parliamentary group on criminal law policy. These not only include the decriminalization of fare evasion, but also the abolition of the substitute prison sentence. The Bundestag has referred the applications to the Legal Affairs Committee, which has met with widespread interest.

Reactions and developments in other cities

While the Hamburg Transport Association (HVV) spoke out against decriminalization, some other cities are taking a different approach. Bremerhaven, Cologne and Münster, for example, have already decided not to submit any more criminal charges for missing tickets. The argument in Bremen, for example, says that the effort involved in criminal prosecution is disproportionate to the financial losses that people affected by poverty have to bear.

In fact, cities like Bonn and Potsdam have also taken measures to stop treating fare evasion as an avoidable crime. These developments show a trend towards more and more municipalities relying on alternative approaches to solve the problem of fare evasion. “Freedom Fund” emphasizes that a political solution is ultimately necessary in order to address the issue sustainably and to stop criminalizing people further.

The discussion about fare evasion and its legal consequences remains exciting and shows how important social initiatives and political decisions are for the lives of thousands of those affected. The initiatives not only advocate for the rights of those who live in difficult circumstances, but also call for a rethinking of jurisprudence and fairer treatment of socially disadvantaged people. The road to decriminalizing fare evasion is still long, but initiatives like the “Freedom Fund” are taking a big step in the right direction.