Belgian Opposition Calls for Deportation of Foreign Inmates Amid Prison Overcrowding

Currently, 43.2% of the Belgian prison population is of foreign origin. A situation that is provoking a reaction from the Belgian opposition. According to the figures published by N-VA deputy Sophie De Wit, there are 872 Moroccan inmates, 500 Algerians and 371 Dutch in Belgian prisons. Deputy De Wit points to prison overcrowding, which she says creates a tense atmosphere in Belgian prisons, and advocates the extradition of foreign prisoners.

However, from 2019 to 2021, Belgium expelled 211 prisoners. Between 2014 and 2018, there was an average of 49 prisoners expelled per year to the Netherlands, Romania, France, Poland and Bulgaria. Outside the European Union, expelling a prisoner requires the consent of the country of origin. According to the bilateral agreement between Morocco and Belgium, "only persons definitively sentenced to a sentence of more than three years and having no right of residence in Belgium can be repatriated."

Furthermore, Morocco is not obliged to accept the repatriation of convicts who were born in Belgium or who have parents or children there. This is certainly the reason why since 2014, Belgium has only expelled three Moroccan prisoners. However, according to the latest figures, 265 Moroccan prisoners meet the conditions for a transfer, as well as 195 Algerians and 41 Tunisians. "But Algeria has told us that it cannot negotiate a treaty," said Van Quickenborne.