An arrest for drunkenness on the public highway will now have to be accompanied by a series of guarantees, such as the possibility of notifying a trusted person, going to the toilet, receiving water, medical assistance, and possibly a meal.
These are some of the provisions included in a Christen-Democratisch & Vlaams (CD&V) bill approved on Wednesday in a House committee.
This type of arrest had been regulated until now by a 1939 law with a very limited provision: the detention must last at least two hours and may not exceed 12 hours. For CD&V parliamentarian Franky Demon, guarantees similar to those relating to administrative arrest should be introduced.
Such detentions remain a deprivation of liberty, he recalled.
The minimum period of two hours will be abolished. The maximum duration, however, is maintained, while the arrested person must be informed of the reason for his or her detention, time limits, the applied procedure and possible coercive measures.
