Prison staff and directors across Belgium staged protests on Thursday to denounce the worsening overcrowding in the country’s prisons.
Around 100 demonstrators gathered outside the central prison administration on Avenue de la Toison d’Or in Brussels. Among them was Mathilde Steenbergen, the Director-General of the Prison Administration, who joined the protest in solidarity.
“This is the first time the administration itself has initiated such actions, which underscores our desperation,” Steenbergen said. She described the situation as untenable for prison staff, citing unprecedented levels of overcrowding. She urged immediate emergency measures while awaiting longer-term structural reforms.
Despite the dire situation, Steenbergen expressed her continued trust in Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden (CD&V). She commended the emergency law passed in July but stressed that the issue requires collaboration across multiple government sectors, including public health and asylum and migration. “Many of our detainees are homeless; this is a broader government responsibility,” she said.
Protesters held signs with messages like, “Overcrowding is dangerous—for us today, for you tomorrow.” The demonstrations concluded at around 14:40.
Meanwhile, 200 people gathered outside Haren Prison to support the protest. The prison’s director, Jurgen Van Poecke, issued a stark warning, calling the situation a “real cry for help.”
“This is not about ideology but about survival. We can’t continue working under these conditions,” Van Poecke said.
The director specifically highlighted the thousands of detainees with mental health issues or without fixed addresses, stating they do not belong in prison. “All we can do is keep the doors open, but we are at breaking point,” he said.
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