20 JULY 2024

In the last few weeks, we have received many calls from several detention centres reporting bedbug infestations in bedrooms and living areas.

According to the inmates, there is no overall strategy adopted by staff to eradicate this infestation: rooms are closed progressively, seemingly disinfected by whatever means, while other areas are also found to be infested in the meantime. With no effective resources in place, there is no chance of the infestation being fully eradicated. 

Merksplas detention centre:

An inmate complained that some of his fellow inmates were beaten by the guards, as they refused to be transferred to other rooms that were too small. He says that the measures taken to eradicate the problem are ridiculous: “They don’t give a damn”, he complains. 

Bruges detention centre:    

Inmates sleep in 20-person dormitories. The overcrowding makes the situation even more unbearable.

They tell us: 

“You can see them [bedbugs] on the blankets.”

“We scratch ourselves all the time, especially at night.”

“Many people can’t sleep any more.”

“It’s becoming unbearable.“

“Some people are going crazy.“

“In situations like this, the cells are emptied of their occupants and disinfected for several days. Should we close the detention centres?”

Detention centre 127bis :    

An inmate told us that he had to alert medical staff three times to the presence of bedbugs in his room before it was taken seriously. He first went to see staff members to report suspicious bites. The doctor and nurse came to look at the room, but found no infestation, so didn’t take his warnings on board. The next day, he went to see them with a dead bedbug. They still ignored him. On a third day, he found a living bedbug walking around, so he called the staff. Only then, after seeing it with their own eyes, did they agree to believe him. He was still being bitten. 

As we all know, the more time goes by, the more bedbugs reproduce, and the more difficult the problem will be to deal with. The attitude of the staff and management is truly inconsistent, irresponsible and disrespectful of the people in the cells. 

It would appear that the infestation is gradually spreading throughout the centre. Two wings have apparently remained open, while two others have been closed for several days. The infestation is raging in the two wings that are still occupied.

We have alerted a number of associations to this situation, which we feel is urgent.

There’s only one solution: Empty the detention centres! (and never fill them again)

For the immediate release of all detainees!

#NoBorder #NoNation #StopDeportation #FreedomForAll

#WegMetGeslotenCentra! #VrijheidVoorAllen