Dresden court lifts arrest warrants for three neo-Nazi defendants — Der Spiegel

The Higher Regional Court of Dresden in Germany has lifted the arrest warrants for three of the eight defendants in the case of the neo-Nazi group “Saxon Separatists.” After nearly two years in pretrial detention, the men were released, Der Spiegel reports.

Grounds for release

The court’s Fifth Criminal Senate said there is no longer reasonable suspicion regarding two defendants, and there is also no risk that they will flee. In the case of the third man, the court found further detention to be disproportionate.

The execution of the arrest warrant for another defendant was suspended on the condition that bail be paid. The court noted that, at the time of the report, the bail had not yet been paid.

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Nature of the charges

Since the beginning of 2026, eight men from far-right circles have been standing trial before the Higher Regional Court of Dresden. Germany’s Federal Public Prosecutor General considers them likely members of the “Saxon Separatists” and has charged them, among other things, with participation in a terrorist organization, preparing to commit high treason, and other crimes.

All eight were detained in November 2024. According to the prosecution, they were awaiting an unspecified “Day X” after Germany’s collapse and planned to seize a significant part of Saxony to create a state based on Nazi ideology. According to case materials, some of the defendants trained in shooting with combat weapons in Poland and the Czech Republic.

Three defendants were members of the Alternative for Germany party in Saxony. The Office for the Protection of the Constitution classifies the Saxon branch of AfD as definitively right-wing extremist; after the detentions, the party decided to expel the men.