Here’s a breakdown of the provided text, focusing on the key details and themes:
Main Issue: The text highlights the severe overcrowding and poor conditions in Belgian prisons, specifically mentioning Saint-Gilles and Haren.
Key Points:
Saint-Gilles Prison:
Is still active and operating at full capacity (515 places occupied). Was previously slated for closure due to unsanitary conditions (rat fights, mushrooms, humidity).
Will ultimately remain open.
Haren prison (“Penitentiary Village”):
Was intended to be a modern, humane prison focused on reintegration, with prisoners in small groups and life units.
The reality is far from this ideal.
Staffing Shortage: There are still about a hundred prison officers missing, leading to high turnover and absences due to illness.
Overcrowding: This shortage exacerbates overcrowding.
Impact on Conditions: The combination of staff shortage and overcrowding has “catastrophic effects” on detention conditions.
Case Study: Amir:
A 25-year-old Moroccan incarcerated in Haren as August 2024. Appeared in court for an altercation involving stab wounds and injuries.
Sentenced in first instance for assault, injury, and attempted murder.
Claims self-defense and denies having a knife or intending to kill.
His defense lawyer attributes his memory lapses to the conditions in Haren, calling it a “zombie prison” with insufficient guards and drug use among prisoners to keep them calm.
Amir is described as being “in gas” during visits, suggesting a drugged or disoriented state.
Government Response (Minister Annelies Verlinden):
An emergency law has been passed to reduce pressure in prisons.
The goal is to make prison the “ultimate sanction” for minor offenses (up to 3 years).
However, those with longer sentences and those on extended leave will be recalled to serve their time, perhaps increasing the prison population.
Outlook:
No one in the prison system believes these measures will be a miracle.
The “optimistic scenario” is that these measures will only stabilize overcrowding.
* Currently, there are 13,023 detainees in Belgium for 11,040 available places.
In essence, the text paints a grim picture of the Belgian prison system, where ambitious plans for reform are being undermined by severe staff shortages and overcrowding, leading to deteriorating conditions and impacting the well-being and legal processes of inmates.