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The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) carried out its 8th periodic visit to Belgium from 15 to 26 May 2025.
The main objective of the visit was to assess the treatment afforded to persons deprived of their liberty in prisons and forensic psychiatric centres (FPCs). To this end, the delegation visited five prisons in Brussels, Flanders and Wallonia, as well as the FPCs in Antwerp and Ghent.
On the occasion of the visit, particular attention was paid to the measures taken to mitigate the effects of prison overcrowding, and to the conditions of detention of persons sentenced to the measure of “internment”.
In the course of the visit, the delegation held consultations with senior officials from the Federal Public Service for Justice, the Federal Public Service for Public Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment and the Flemish Care Inspectorate. Meetings were also held with representatives of the Federal Institute for Human Rights (FIRM/ IFDH), the Central Supervisory Council for the Prison System (CTRG/ CCSP), and representatives of non-governmental organisations active in areas of concern to the CPT.
At the end of the visit, the delegation presented its preliminary observations to the Belgian authorities, in particular Frank Vandenbroucke, Minister of Social Affairs and Health, and Annelies Verlinden, Minister of Justice.
This visit was carried out by the following CPT members:
- Marie Kmecová, first Vice-President of the CPT (Head of delegation)
- Vincent Delbos
- Gautam Gulati
- Nico Hirsch
- Chila van der Bas
They were supported by Marco Leidekker (Head of Division) and Kelly Sipp of the Committee’s Secretariat, and assisted by three experts, Cécile Dangles, judge (France), Cyrille Orizet, psychiatrist (France), and Marrit de Vries, psychiatrist (Netherlands).
The report following this visit is expected to be adopted by the Committee in November 2025 and subsequently communicated to the Belgian authorities, with recommendations aimed at improving the situation for persons deprived of their liberty in prisons and forensic psychiatric centres.
The delegation visited the following places of deprivation of liberty:
Prisons
- Ghent Prison
- Haren Prison
- Marche-en-Famenne Prison
- Nivelles Prison
- Turnhout Prison
Forensic psychiatric establishments
- FPC Antwerp
- FPC Ghent
Court facilities
- Holding cells at the Brussels Court of Justice
- Holding cells at “Portalis” Court of Justice Building in Brussels.
Source, text and photo – the CPT
