Urgent reforms needed in Brussels’ prisons after violent incidents. Drugs, understaffing, and negligence contribute to unsafe conditions.
An official in the prison of Saint-Gilles has been discontinued following a vicious attack by inmates on another inmate during their allotted time outdoors. This marks the second such happening in a matter of days.
Drug dealers frequently throw bags of drugs over the barricades surrounding prisons, such as the Saint-Gilles prison in Brussels. These bags often land in the prison yard where inmates can find them while they are outside for a walk. To avoid detection, inmates attempt to smuggle drugs back inside the prison using various methods, as they know they will be searched upon returning from their outdoor time.
Around two weeks ago, according to reports from Het Nieuwsblad, certain inmates targeted a victim for smuggling imports. They forcefully pinned him down and inserted the drugs into his anus. This caused the victim to sustain serious injuries.
A senior officer witnessed the incident but she did not intervene or convey it to her superiors. Prison guards who were also knowledgeable of the abuse did so out of conscience, and one of them reportedly went to the police to file a protest. Therefore, the senior officer who noticed the incident has been suspended. The police have been reported, interviewed the victim and started an investigation. An internal investigation has also been established by the Prison Service.
Last week, a similar case of prisoner violence came to light at Antwerp Prison. The 41-year-old victim was severely wounded and hospitalised. His cellmates were arrested and indicted with attempted murder, rape and torture. They are predicted to appear before the penitentiary board on Monday. The inmate was wounded and tortured by his cellmates for at least three, possibly four days. Unions representing the prison officers noted that the incident was a direct result of overcrowding and understaffing.
Officers on the branch where the abuse happened only found out about the incident after seeing footage of the suffering that was circulated by the perpetrators, and only then did they carry out a straightforward cell inspection.
The incidents at Saint-Gilles Prison and Antwerp Prison emphasise grave issues within Belgium’s prison system. It demands urgent attention and reform. The brutal attack on an inmate during the outdoor time at Saint-Gilles, followed by a similar harrowing event in Antwerp, underlines the pressing need for tighter security measures and better management protocols.
The ease with which drugs are smuggled into prisons, facilitated by drug dealers tossing packages over barricades, poses a significant threat to inmate safety and prison order. Inmates resort to extreme measures, including violent coercion, to traffic contraband, leading to tragic consequences for victims like the one brutally assaulted in Saint-Gilles.
The failure of prison officials to intervene effectively in such incidents, as evidenced by the suspended senior officer’s inaction and the delayed response from the Antwerp branch, underscores systemic shortcomings. Inadequate staffing and overcrowding exacerbate these issues, compromising the safety of both inmates and staff.
The initiation of police and internal investigations is a necessary step towards accountability and justice for the victims. However, comprehensive reforms addressing security, staffing, and management practices are imperative to prevent future tragedies and uphold the dignity and rights of those within the prison system. The unions’ call for action must be heeded, and meaningful reforms implemented to ensure the safety and well-being of all individuals within Belgium’s prisons.
