Record 750 inmates forced to sleep on floor in Belgian prisons from prison overcrowding
A record number of detainees in Belgium are sleeping on the floor as prison overcrowding worsens, with 750 inmates currently without a bed, according to the ACOD Prisons trade union.
Belgian prisons are housing 13,715 detainees, far exceeding their official capacity of 11,049 places. Even with an additional 247 emergency places, the system remains severely overstretched. The number of inmates has continued to rise in recent weeks.
The scale of the problem is significant: the number of prisoners sleeping on mattresses on the floor would fill an entire prison. For comparison, the Lantin prison has a capacity of 744 places, while only the Haren prison is larger.
European concern over overcrowding
The situation has also drawn concern from the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT), which warned in its annual report that prison overcrowding is becoming the norm across Europe.
“Unfortunately, Belgium is no exception within Europe when it comes to people sleeping on the floor,” said CPT chairman Alan Mitchell. He noted that similar issues are affecting countries including France, Ireland and Cyprus, with around 10 per cent of prisoners in Ireland also sleeping on the floor.
The committee warned that overcrowding, which has worsened since the Covid-19 pandemic, risks exposing detainees to inhuman and degrading treatment and can fuel violence within prisons.
Calls for structural reform
The CPT is calling for more decisive political action, including a review of sentencing policies, greater use of alternatives to detention and strict limits on prison populations.
“This is essential to eradicate prison overcrowding and ensure that the human dignity of detainees is respected, including an appropriate regime, care and living conditions,” Mitchell said.
While highlighting the severity of the situation, the committee acknowledged some progress in Belgium, particularly in maintaining minimum services during prison staff strikes. Agreements have been reached to guarantee basic provisions such as healthcare, meals, hygiene and limited activities for detainees.
However, the report also warns of broader concerns across Europe, including rising ill-treatment in detention, weakened oversight mechanisms and a growing sense of impunity among perpetrators of abuse.
The CPT concluded that without stronger safeguards and sustained political commitment, conditions in prisons risk deteriorating further.
© BELGA PHOTO PINO MISURACA
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