Council of Europe urges Belgium to address prison overcrowding

The Council of Europe has called on Belgium to intensify its efforts to develop a long-term strategy to address severe prison overcrowding. As of March, Belgian prisons were operating at over 120 percent capacity, forcing hundreds of detainees to sleep on mattresses on the floor. The organization recommends reducing the overall number of detainees and the use of pretrial detention, rather than building more facilities.

The issue of packed prisons has been a recurring concern in Belgium. A recent report indicated that the country's prison population has surged from approximately 11,000 at the start of 2023 to over 13,000 by early 2026. This increase is partly attributed to a government decision to more consistently enforce sentences of up to three years, which saw the number of prisoners serving such sentences rise from around 400 in 2023 to about 1,500 in 2026.

This situation unfolds as Belgium grapples with a rise in drug-related crime, prompting the government to deploy soldiers to aid police efforts. The Council of Europe's recommendations emphasize a comprehensive and ambitious long-term approach with a clear timetable.