[1][2] The organisation raises funds in order to free prisoners who have been incarcerated under the substitute imprisonment law, which allows judges to impose custodial sentences for unpaid public transport fares.

[7] Section 265a of the German penal code lists various acts, including travelling on public transport without payment, as offences punishable by a fine or up to one year in prison.

[1] Journalist and activist Arne Semsrott founded Freiheitsfonds in December 2021,[1] after learning about a 1990 ruling by the German Federal Court of Justice, which determined that the payment of a fine could be made by a third party.

[6][10] This initial action gained publicity through a post on the website of freedom of information campaign group FragDenStaat and coverage on Jan Böhmermann's television show Magazin Royale.

[6] Although payments can be made by any means, Semsrott has stated he prefers to visit the prison in person and pay the fines in cash, so that the inmates can be released immediately.

[2] The longer-term aims of Freiheitsfonds extend to abolishing the substitute imprisonment law and promoting the introduction of free local public transport throughout Germany.

[3] The Association of German Transport Companies has stated its opposition to changes in the laws regarding fare evasion, arguing that the threat of imprisonment acts as a deterrent against travelling without a ticket, claiming that lost revenue costs the industry some €300 million per year.

[6] Freiheitsfonds' visual identity, such as its logo and website design, heavily references the Grand Theft Auto series of video games.