No third party was involved in the death of Sourour A., a Belgian-Tunisian woman who was found dead in her cell at the Brussels-Capital/Ixelles police station last week, the Federal Public Prosecutor announced on Monday.
The woman was found dead in the police cell on Thursday morning after she had reportedly been arrested in the Châtelain district of Ixelles the night before. The exact circumstances of the arrest remain unclear.
"In addition to other investigative activities, Committee P (the Permanent Oversight Committee on the Police Services) analysed the camera footage of the cell complex," Willemien Baert of the Federal Public Prosecutor announced in a press release. "Based on the initial findings and the preliminary report of the autopsy examination, there would be no involvement of any third party."
According to the information given to Sourour A.'s family over the weekend, she committed suicide by strangling herself with her jumper – a version of events which is being strongly contested by the family’s lawyer, Selma Benkhelifa. "The family does not believe at all in the hypothesis of suicide. They were told that she strangled herself with her jumper, which seems impossible."
Case is given special attention
While her relatives do not believe in the possibility of suicide, they are awaiting the results of the autopsy. A toxicology examination has also been carried out, the results of which will follow in the coming weeks.
The family's lawyers also want to see the camera images, as well as more information about why Sourour A. was arrested and at what time. "The public prosecutor's office is paying special attention to this investigation to find out the exact circumstances of this incident," Baert said.
The lawyers have demanded more clarity about the supervision in the detention centre in Rue Royale in Brussels, calling its management and control "very problematic". This is the third time in 1.5 years that a person has died in the same building.
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Previously, Ilyes Abbedou and Mohamed Amine Berkane were also found dead in a cell. Several organisations have filed a civil suit, but the court has not yet made a ruling.
On Saturday, Sourour A.'s sister took to social media to thank everyone for their support after the news. "Our family is devastated with sadness, we are overwhelmed and disoriented. We need this moment to be together."
