The Council of Europe has again sounded the alarm about the "perennial" problem of overcrowding in European prisons, particularly in Western Europe.
The Council of Europe (CoE) is the largest human rights body in Europe and is not affiliated with the European Union. Its Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) expressed "serious concern" at overcrowding in European prisons in its annual report published on Thursday.
The report draws attention to the "nefarious" consequences of overcrowding: poorer living conditions, increased violence and tension, fewer purposeful activities and less preparation for prisoners' return to the community.
"Prison overcrowding completely undermines the functioning of prisons and potentially exposes individuals to inhuman and degrading treatment," said CPT President Alan Mitchell. "Governments should show political will to solve it by reforming criminal law policies and allocating adequate investment to prison and probation services."
Multiple reports, decisions and recommendations from the CoE, the CPT and the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) serve as "unequivocal" evidence of the harm overcrowding causes, Mitchell said.
The CPT has called on all governments to adopt "resolute" measures to tackle the crisis.
Caste systems
The report also highlighted the issue of prison hierarchies – a phenomenon most prevalent in former Soviet states. Tsarist Russia gave increased power to certain prisoners in gulags, thereby feeding power imbalances between prisoners and creating a de facto caste system.
Credit: Belga / Nicolas Maeterlinck
However, even in countries without this historical context, "a lack of prison staff combined with overcrowding may result in prison life in the accommodation blocks being controlled by stronger groups of prisoners," the report stated.
"Consequently, other prisoners are often subjected to violence and intimidation by these stronger groups, who appear to operate with impunity."
Belgium, the bad pupil
In Belgium, there are now over 13,000 inmates in a penal system designed to hold 11,000.
Last June, another CoE report ranked the Belgian prison system as the fourth most overcrowded in Europe behind Cyprus (first), Romania (second) and France (third).
Credit: Belga / Benoit Doppagne
Inhumane conditions include prisoners sleeping on mattresses on the floor, abuse scandals that have seen rape and torture go unchecked for days and a high suicide attempt rate. These factors have prompted endless prison staff strikes denouncing the plight of prisoners alongside a difficult working environment.
Periodic visits to prison facilities constitute an important element of the CPT's monitoring role. In 2024, it conducted 20 visits in 19 countries. This year, it will conduct visits in eight countries: Azerbaijan, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, Romania and Spain.
