The city council of Ghent has called on the Federal Government to address overcrowding in local detention facilities by implementing structural measures. Currently, 52 inmates – including women for the first time – are forced to sleep on the floor.
The ruling coalition in the Flemish city – Mayor Mathias De Clercq's (Open VLD) 'Voor Gent' list and the Groen party – backed a motion urging Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden (CD&V) to take swift action.
De Clercq had previously issued a decree in 2023 demanding improvements, but it only had a temporary effect. A second decree in 2024 temporarily reduced the number of people sleeping on the floor, but this issue has resurged.
Prison living conditions have severely deteriorated over recent years, with reports of three inmates sharing cells of just 10 m2. One inmate often has no choice but to sleep on a mattress beside the toilet facilities, due to a lack of space.
Ghent Prison, which has been operating since 1862, has ageing infrastructure, and some cells are without functioning sinks.
Moreover, the latest annual report from the Central Prison Monitoring Council revealed that two-thirds of inmates suffer from psychiatric disorders, while healthcare services within the prisons remain inadequate.
