Recent rulings in Amsterdam have stopped Dutch suspects from being transferred to Belgian prisons after the presiding judge cited a recent European report which criticised overcrowded Belgian prisons for “inhumane and degrading treatment.”
As reported by the Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad on Thursday, a judge in the Dutch capital of Amsterdam is choosing to no longer transfer suspects in cases where a Belgian prosecution might wish to try them, due to the poor treatment that is common in Belgium's overcrowded prisons.
To justify the choice, the judge drew on a recent report by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment which has shed light on the problem and identified a lack of space as a main reason for increased acts of violence.
Related News
- Brussels attacks suspect threatens to stop cooperating during trial
- Two drug trafficking suspects freed due to lack of transport to courthouse
- Over 200 inmates sleep on ground in Flemish prisons due to lack of capacity
Furthermore, the report criticised the fact that prisoners must stay 23 hours in their cells due to staff shortages leading to a decrease in activities being organised for prisoners.
As a result, two rulings in an Amsterdam court on 14 December also barred a Dutch suspect from being transferred to a Belgian prison, which is normally a formality. Alongside the aforementioned arguments, the ruling judge argued that there was a risk that the suspect's human rights would be violated.
