The Belgian state has paid over €2 million in compensation since 2020 to over 1,000 detainees who were placed in prison psychiatric wings due to a shortage of space in specialised institutions after their trials.
This information was revealed by Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden in response to a parliamentary question from N-VA MP Kathleen Depoorter.
Currently, waiting lists are growing for places in legal psychiatric centres. A total of 218 individuals are currently awaiting admission, according to figures obtained by N-VA MP Sophie De Wit from the minister.
This issue is not new, and Belgium has been repeatedly condemned by the European Court of Human Rights for its handling of interned detainees. Due to inadequate specialised facilities, individuals remain in prison settings where proper care is often lacking.
Compensation payments range from fixed indemnities to daily fines of up to €25. The Federal Government has announced plans to address the issue by constructing a new forensic centre in Ostend with a capacity of 400 to 450 places.
Additional facilities are planned in Wavre, Paifve, and Alost, according to Sophie De Wit.
