The Immigration Office has launched a disciplinary procedure following reports of violence and abuse at the detention centre 127bis, State Secretary for Asylum Nicole de Moor confirmed on Wednesday.
Staff have been accused of "abusing authority" and committing "acts of violence" against undocumented people in detention in December and January, according to MP Khalil Aouasti (PS).
"We have been told that there is a great deal of tension due to the actions of certain members of staff," he explained in Parliament on Wednesday. "Moreover, access to medical care has been severely restricted due to this violence, making it difficult to corroborate these allegations with medical certificates. You must appreciate how concerning this is."
Aouasti did not disclose specific details about the incidents, but advocacy group 'Getting the Voice Out' has posted testimonies of violence on its website, including two cases of beatings on 6 and 14 of January, with the former being followed by solitary confinement.
In response, De Moor confirmed that several recent incidents had already come to her attention. "They are under investigation," she told the Socialist MP. "A disciplinary procedure has been launched, and I will ensure that these incidents are followed up on if they are confirmed."
Question of human rights
NGOs have spent years campaigning on behalf of the people inside Belgium's detention centres, who are often detained in legally dubious circumstances and incarcerated for indefinite periods of time. Poor living conditions lead to widespread mental health issues and numerous suicide attempts.
In Merksplas, located near the Dutch border, one man died by suicide on 24 December. His body has not been buried since, as officials were unable to identify him and notify his family of his death.
127bis is one of six detention centres across the country. Located next to Brussels Airport, the centre houses 120 men who are intended to be repatriated to their country of origin. Noémi Desguin, a legal expert at MOVE Coalition (an umbrella organisation made up of four NGOs), notes that violent incidents are no more likely to occur in 127bis than in other centres.
"It's true that misconduct can occur, but we hadn't noticed that this happened more often at 127bis than elsewhere," she told The Brussels Times. "That being said, the investigation is a good thing. We just hope that the public will be kept informed of the results and that the administration will be fully transparent about past incidents."
