Antonyms for "put behind bars" could include "release," "set free," "liberate," or "free." While "putting someone behind bars" typically implies imprisonment or confinement, to release or set someone free is to allow them to go without restriction. Alternatively, "liberate" implies being freed from oppression or physical constraints, often with a sense of freedom or liberation. To "free" someone can have similar connotations, suggesting the lifting of a burden or emotional weight. These antonyms suggest a sense of liberation, autonomy, and empowerment that is absent when someone is confined behind bars.