The closing date of Saint-Gilles prison, where living conditions have been catastrophic for more than two years, will likely be further pushed back.
Saint-Gilles prison is Belgium's second-oldest such jail. For years now, its failing infrastructure and the deplorable living conditions – including the presence of rats – have made headlines. Conditions were already deplorable due to prison overcrowding, but the situation deteriorated following the opening of the controversial Haren "super prison".
Staff at Saint-Gilles, including the jailers, are left with many questions about its future. The prison was expected to close after all prisoners from Saint-Gilles Prison were transferred to Haren, somewhere in 2023. However, outgoing Justice Minister Paul Van Tigchelt (Open Vld) requested the postponement of the prison closure due to difficulty in recruiting prison guards at Haren prison.
The prison was expected to close at the end of 2024, and outgoing Secretary of State for Building Regulation, Mathieu Michel (MR), earlier this year reaffirmed the government's intention to do so. This planned closure was again postponed by a year until the end of 2025 in October, and now, the Prison Service is hinting at a further extension, Bruzz reported.
Lack of government
Mathilde Steenbergen, the new Director General of the Prison Service, confirmed the news in an email to prison officers on 4 December. "What is clear by now: the doors of Saint-Gilles will not close at the end of this year," she wrote.
Because the government "in current affairs" cannot decide on how long the prison will remain open, the exact timings remain uncertain. "That is something the next government must consider."
However, insiders say a further extension by several years is the obvious option, given the continuing shortage of places in Belgian prisons. In union circles, December 2028 is circulating as the new unofficial closure date. The lack of an official extension has major consequences, as it hinders much-needed renovation work.
The deplorable conditions in the prison were recently highlighted by singer Jonas Gomes, an ex-participant of The Voice Belgique who gave a concert at the prison in August. He recently described what he witnessed on Instagram: "A death house, with more drug use in prison than outside, abysmal hygiene and vermin." However, a union official said the reports are exaggerated.
