Hamburg's Freedom Fund sets a sign: 110 people liberated!

Hamburg's Freedom Fund sets a sign: 110 people liberated!

In Hamburg, a current initiative causes a sensation that vehemently campaigns against the criminal prosecution of black drivers. As reported T-Online, a woman from Hamburg was arrested and convicted because she was unable to pay for the undershot. She was released after only six days in the Billwerder correctional facility after the "Freedom Fund" initiative had taken on the sum of 440 euros for her release.

June 12, also known as "Freedom Day", fell on a special date this year: A total of 110 people were bought from the initiative on this day. The “Freedom Fund” is an important voice in the debate about the decriminalization of undeclared driving and would like to abolish the controversial paragraph 265a of the Criminal Code. The organization, which was launched in 2021, has now brought 1,396 people out of prison and thus saved the state of almost 20 million euros.

background of the initiative

annually in Germany up to 9,000 people end up in prison because they cannot pay the penalties for illegal driving. People with modest financial circumstances are often particularly affected - according to investigations, 87 percent of those affected are unemployed and 15 percent live without a permanent residence. In addition, many fight with mental or physical illnesses. An open letter from 128 scientists has requested the deletion of paragraph 265a and pointed out the social injustice that arises from the criminalization of undeclared driving.

The discussion about the reform of criminal law is also gaining in the Bundestag. On January 26, 2023, the Bundestag dealt with draft laws and applications from the DIE LINKE group on criminal law policy. These include not only the decriminalization of black driving, but also the abolition of the replacement imprisonment. The Bundestag has transferred the applications to the legal committee, which is of great interest.

reactions and developments in other cities

During the Hamburg Transport Association (HVV), a few other cities go a different way. For example, Bremerhaven, Cologne and Münster have already decided not to submit any criminal applications for a lack of tickets. The argument in Bremen, for example, states that the effort of law enforcement is in no way in relation to the financial losses that people have to wear.

Cities like Bonn and Potsdam have also taken measures in order to no longer consider illegal driving as an avoidable crime. These developments show a trend that more and more municipalities rely on alternative approaches to solve the problem of black drivers. "Freedom Fund" emphasizes that a political solution is ultimately necessary to sustainably tackle the topic and not to criminalize people.

The discussion about illegal driving and its legal consequences remains exciting and shows how important social initiatives and political decisions are for the lives of thousands of affected people. The initiatives are not only committed to the rights of those who live in difficult conditions, but also demand a rethink in case law and a fairer treatment of socially disadvantaged people. The way to decriminalize illegal driving is still long, but initiatives such as the "Freedom Fund" take a big step in the right direction.