German Doctor Jailed: Sparks Debate on Medical Freedom & Independence

A German physician, Dr. Bianca Witzschel, began serving a prison sentence in February 2026 after being convicted of issuing medical certificates deemed inaccurate during the COVID-19 pandemic, a case that has ignited debate over medical freedom and potential political motivations within Germany’s legal system.

A Career Interrupted

Dr. Witzschel, 69, had practiced as a general practitioner and specialist in pharmacology and toxicology in Moritzburg for 23 years, accumulating 40 years of medical experience. Her arrest occurred on February 28, 2023, during one of five searches of her practice and home, leading to 476 days in pre-trial detention before her trial commenced. The Dresden Regional Court sentenced her on June 17, 2024, a verdict confirmed by the Federal Court of Justice on September 19, 2025, according to a press release issued on February 4, 2026.

Charges and the Court’s Ruling

The court found Dr. Witzschel guilty of issuing 1,003 medical certificates considered inaccurate, including exemptions from mask mandates, certificates of contraindication for COVID-19 vaccinations, and authorizations for saliva-based tests as alternatives to nasopharyngeal swabs. Her defense argued that each certificate was issued following a patient history, examination, and documentation.

Additional charges, which her supporters strongly contest, contributed to the severity of the sentence. These included allegations of fraud related to a €48 purchase of three books that she purportedly did not intend to pay for, and possession of an illegal weapon – identified as a flashlight with an electrical function, which an expert reportedly deemed non-functional. The court likewise dismissed her use of bioresonance diagnostics, a practice utilized in natural medicine for approximately 50 years, as lacking scientific recognition.

Severe Consequences Beyond Imprisonment

The repercussions extend far beyond the two-year and eight-month prison sentence. Dr. Witzschel’s license to practice medicine was revoked in 2022 and will remain suspended for an additional three years following the final judgment – totaling over six years of being barred from practicing. Her medical equipment, patient records, and computer hardware were confiscated. Her bank accounts were closed, and her home, which housed her practice, was sold at judicial auction in February 2025 for less than half its actual value, with Dr. Witzschel unable to participate or authorize her lawyer to act on her behalf.

Her supporters also allege mistreatment during pre-trial detention, including being presented in handcuffs and leg restraints, including before the court, periods of isolation, and arbitrary restrictions on communication with her family and legal counsel.

Political Dimensions and International Attention

The case has drawn international attention, including a public call from Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the U.S. Secretary of Health, on January 10, 2026, for the prosecution to be dropped. Twelve days later, the order for Dr. Witzschel to commence her imprisonment was issued. The German Federal Ministry of Health, led by Nina Warken, had previously denied any persecution of physicians in Germany.

According to a press release signed by attorney Katja Wörmer, physician Monika Jiang, and journalist Kerstin Heusinger, the timing of the incarceration order following Kennedy Jr.’s statement suggests a deliberate attempt to suppress medical dissent stemming from the pandemic era.

Part of a Larger Trend

Dr. Witzschel’s case is part of a series of legal proceedings involving medical professionals and individuals who challenged official pandemic measures. Supporters portray her as a victim of a system that criminalizes therapeutic freedom, a right guaranteed by the German Constitution. Two further criminal proceedings are currently ongoing against her on similar charges.

Further information is available at free-bianca-witzschel.de.