The State of Saxony in Germany is interrupting its current policy of suspending prison sentences due to the risk of COVID-19. According to the Dresden Public Prosecutor's Office, prison sentences of up to three years were suspended in at least 235 cases. In addition, more than 3,000 substitute prison sentences ("Ersatzfreiheitsstrafen") were suspended.  

The prisoners’ union "GGBO" criticised this measure as "unreasonable" because of the risk of a second wave of infections with COVID-19 in Germany. Furthermore, a spokesman of the GGBO said that better communication was needed in German jails with regard to the pandemic, including how staff and prisoners should behave in the pandemic situation, and when it should be mandatory to wear face masks. 

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