Record number of prisoners sleeping on floors in Belgium

By Melike Pala

BRUSSELS (AA) - Belgium's prisons are facing unprecedented overcrowding, with 580 inmates currently sleeping on mattresses on the floor, the highest number ever recorded, according to the country's prison service.

The situation is most severe in the northern region, where 332 inmates sleep on the floor across 10 facilities, Belga news agency reported.

Antwerp reports the highest number, with 69, followed by Dendermonde (56) and Ghent (40). Other affected prisons include Hasselt, Ypres, Oudenaarde, Bruges, Turnhout, Mechelen, and Leuven-Hulp.

In the southern region, 232 prisoners are sleeping on the floor, with Mons, Nivelles, Marche, and Leuze the most affected. In Brussels, 16 detainees are sleeping on the floor, all at Haren prison.

The total prison population now stands at 13,546 detainees.

The overcrowding comes ahead of a planned strike on Tuesday and Wednesday. Prison directors warn that minimum staffing levels cannot be guaranteed, prompting police deployment to maintain safety across nearly all institutions.

Prison directors are again urging the government to introduce a minimum-service requirement from the first day of any strike, describing current conditions as "irresponsible" for both staff and inmates.