Inmates of a secure asylum facility in Steenokkerzeel spent Sunday night outdoors due to a bedbug infestation, Mayor Kurt Ryon confirmed on Monday.
The 127bis detention centre has been grappling with the infestation issue for about seven months, according to the mayor.
Action group Getting The Voice Out noted similar problems in other detention centres, including two in Bruges and Merksplas.
Last week, staff at the 127bis centre went on strike after finding bedbugs in the staff toilets.
Detainees have long complained about the lack of an effective overall strategy to address the issue, the action group reported. It claimed that apart from moving inmates from one wing to another, no steps have been taken. It described these moves as pointless, as the entire building is infested.
In protest against the infestation, about 15 inmates decided to sleep outside under a shelter on Sunday night and remained outside until Monday, Getting The Voice Out said. They camped using mattresses and blankets.
“This is a desperate situation. It’s not a way to live, it affects us both mentally and physically,” one detainee was quoted as saying by the action group.
According to the mayor, the centre’s management was negotiating with the inmates on Monday to find a solution.
