A five-day strike by Belgium's prison guards over chronic overcrowding, staff shortages, and concerns about infrastructure and safety ended on Friday night.
The strike began at 10 p.m. on Sunday, when prison workers' unions led a countrywide walkout. It ended at 10.00 p.m. on Friday.
Since the protest lasted over two days, prison governors were allowed to requisition prison officers if too few volunteers were available to maintain minimum staffing levels, which they did.
The dispute reflects long-running frustration among prison staff.
Unions say workers have been demanding solutions for years to persistent problems including overcrowding, a high number of inmates forced to sleep on mattresses on the floor, and insufficient staffing.
According to the unions, conditions in the prisons are creating unsafe situations for both staff and detainees.
In a separate development, a civil court in Ghent ruled on Friday that the Belgian state must reduce occupancy at Ghent prison to 110% of its actual capacity.
The state has been given six months to comply. If overcrowding persists after that deadline, it will face a penalty of €500 per day for each detainee above the limit, with total possible fines capped at €45 million.
