Category: News from the centres

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 … Continuer la lecture →

 On January 7, inmates at the 127bis detention center in Steenokkerzeel reported the death by hanging of one of their fellow inmates. The inmates were quickly transferred from one wing of the closed center to another, and the management is … Continuer la lecture →

 – About ten days ago, several detainees reported a collective flight to the DRC. In the following days, contact with these people was very limited and several phones were on voice mail.  – The social workers, also known as “accompaniers … Continuer la lecture →

        – Closed centre Merksplas. Several detainees reported that they were subjected to racism, especially by the “return assistants”.    – Many people under Dublin regulation have been deported within 5 days of their arrest without being … Continuer la lecture →

 Press Release 18/05/2021  Based on our information, several cases of coronavirus have been detected at the closed centre for foreigners in Vottem. To date, there are 4 persons with the virus among the retained, and 8 among the staff. « Outside … Continuer la lecture →

One may witness a real harassment of the exiles who are arrested in public spaces, transports, stations, and parkings. They are driven to the police station or the identification centre in Steenokkerzeel, most of them are retained for a few … Continuer la lecture →

21/06/2018 Further escape attempts (to be confirmed); Four other detainees attempted to escape to the Vottem detention centre at 10 a.m. on 21 June. Three have been caught, one of them is still running. ——————————————————————————– H had been retained at … Continuer la lecture →

We had received distress messages from prisoners in closed centres and more particularly from 127bis in Steenokkerzeel. http://www.gettingthevoiceout.org/ramadan-in-closed-centres-hunger-strike/ Following repression, detention and threats from the management for those who tried to have contacts with the outside, with the media, the … Continuer la lecture →

It has now been 25 days that an Albanian man retained in the closed centre for foreigners in Vottem has started a hunger strike, and for 3 days a thirst strike. We fear for his life. According to our information, … Continuer la lecture →

Update 06/10/2017: Mikele is FREE: Thanks to all ————————————————————————————————————— O5/10/2017 Mikele is a young Erythrean who got arrested in Brussels and retained in the 127bis closed centre on the 22nd of October 2017 although his refugee status had been acknowledged … Continuer la lecture →

Update 1 November 2017 After the call from the closed centre of Merksplas, we promised ourselves that the young boy would not stay another night in that jail. Mission accomplished! Thanks to your calls, faxes and emails, the guardianship service … Continuer la lecture →

19/10/2017 : I. cut her wrist in her shower at the Caricole closed centre on 18th October 2017. She was very bad psychologically for the last two days, she had asked assistance from the medical service and an appointment with … Continuer la lecture →

Physically and psychologically exhausted by a retention of more than 3 months in a closed centre, he had to confront the CGRA and the CEE that did not react to his call for help. However, his calls could not have … Continuer la lecture →

24/02 Strangely enough (!), following our appeal and the reaction of lawyers and organisations, the three kids who had been detained in the closed centre of Bruges for a week have been recognized as minors by the authorities and taken to an open … Continuer la lecture →

20/06/2016 Retainees in the centres are currently in urgent need of phone recharges. Some were arrested on their migration road (Zeebruge, Ostende, at the French border) and separated from their family whom they absolutely want to find back and/or warn. … Continuer la lecture →

Albanians are the target this time! Théo Francken adds the imprisonment of lots of Albanians in closed centres to his mission. On Twitter (see below) ‘Loads of Albanians in prisons¹ i.e all Albanians are criminals. ŒDeterrence visit in Albania¹. ŒAgreement … Continuer la lecture →

This Sunday 14/05/2016,  suddenly, around 1 p.m., the guards of the 127 bis closed centre decided to search everybody in the wing nr 1.   All prisoners had to gather in the common hall. They were called one by one by … Continuer la lecture →

26/01/2016 A young boy was deported by force: his parents and family are living here. He left his ‘country of origin’, DRC, when he was 7 years old and doesn’t know anything nor anyone there. His crime: he had a … Continuer la lecture →

They are two young Bosnians, 18 and 20 years old, living with their families in the North of France. They crossed the border with Belgium to buy cigarettes. They were caught by the Belgian police and at the request of … Continuer la lecture →

A lot of repression in the centres. It seems to be the only communication mean for the management. Some of our friends don’t answer the phone anymore. They just disappeared! Transfers, cells, deportations? Do we have to issue a warrant … Continuer la lecture →

Update:Closed centres 21 December 2015 127bis: 17 people still on hunger strike. They met the Director of the Centre this afternoon. Vottem: 17 people still on hunger strike in the blue wing, several  “leaders” as the Office calls them, have … Continuer la lecture →

Closed centre 127bis . Last week, a dozen of releases. Among them, a few Afghans who had been arrested in the context of the Afghans’ hunt announced by Francken. This week, reopening of the wing for 40 people with a … Continuer la lecture →

On 16th of November, 8 undocumented people climbed two cranes in Brussels. Most of them had been on the Belgian territory for more than 10 years. Many have been involved in movements of fight for the undocumented for several years. … Continuer la lecture →

Update 20/09: Detainees were waiting for us in the backyard of the centre with banners, shouting for freedom.A man climbed on the roof with many banners. In a second wing we could not get close to the tension was extremely … Continuer la lecture →

On 14th September 2015 we learnt that 25 Iraqis were being detained in one of the wings of the 127bis closed centre. Most of them were arrested at the Foreigners Office after being convened. They were told that they have … Continuer la lecture →

Several detainees of the closed centre have started a hunger strike, some of them 5 days ago. They are claiming for the treatment of their files. Some of them have been there for several months and they didn’t get any … Continuer la lecture →

01/05/2015 Returns: their lives are here! A lot of people who get deported to a country where they transited and who are called “Dublin migrants” are returning back here: they have their life here, their wife, children, work and life … Continuer la lecture →

12/02/2015 Deportations, news from the centres Here are some news from the situation in the centres. The number of deportations is huge, so are the refusals to be deported, hence the privilege to benefit from a second, third, or even … Continuer la lecture →

In the night of 17th of January, three detainees tried to escape. They broke the windowns of their cell and found themselves in the courtyard, trying to climb the fences surrounding the centre. The guards called the police that arrived … Continuer la lecture →

We’ve learnt by the Dutch media that 12 detainees of the Bruges closed centre escaped the centre on January 7th 2015! They are of twelve different nationalities. They escaped through the window! They vanished into thin air..

This night two very young serbians were able to escape from the 127bis. Incarcerated since three days, they lifted their window out after the last contrôle of midnight and found their freedom.

Humane : no – Fair: no – Efficient : yes – Made by Francken ! They are currently four women between 60 and 70 years old who have been retained in the 127 bis centre, some of them for more … Continuer la lecture →

Shot down like an animal” “On the morning of 15/09/2014, 10 policemen wanted to collect a Nigerian from the closed centre ‘Le Caricole’. When he refused to accompany them they severely beat him and dragged him on the ground. They … Continuer la lecture →

He spent 25 years in prison and some time in the high security wing in Bruges. He served his full sentence. He should have been released under the condition that he would leave the territory; which he had promised he … Continuer la lecture →

While this woman, seeking asylum, was driven back from the tribunal, handcuffed as usual as is the custom for foreigners driven in vans, the guards forgot her in full sunlight after reaching the Caricole closed centre. On Monday (22 July), … Continuer la lecture →

They are sick of being treated like animals. No respect, no right at all. Some do not have any juridical assistance. When seriously ill, they can not see a doctor. If you want to see one, you must wait for … Continuer la lecture →

Update 15/07: 25 detenees refuse to eate this evening and ask the liberty for ALL. Text message from the closed centre 10:54 p.m. on 14th July « There is a huge mess in the centre. Everyone’s on strike ». At … Continuer la lecture →

Merksplas : Two detainees on a hunger strike for 8 days have been in solitary confinement since then. Vottem For 19 days, an Indian man detained in Vottem has been on hunger strike. Four days ago, he also started a … Continuer la lecture →

MERCI, DANK U, Thank you to everybody from the camp DEMONSTRATION of the Caravan 2014 of undocumented migrants and refugees 26 juin 2014 Start : Place du Béguinage Brussel 04.30 p.m  People from all over Europe organise a Caravan For … Continuer la lecture →

For six days, several persons have been on hunger strike, some on thirst strike, at the closed centre in Vottem. Among them are people of Pakistani origin who fear for their lives if deported by force. Indeed, in Pakistan several … Continuer la lecture →

Following several events, the 127 bis has become a powder keg General search and seizure of prayer carpets On June 4th 2014, after a meeting organised with the detainees by the Centre Management, during which the majority had complaints about … Continuer la lecture →

“They have a lot of money here: Two cops for each deportation, several times per day, who get payed for a roundtrip. It’s a big budget for a country in crisis!” “Commerce is going well in closed centers” In the … Continuer la lecture →

UPDATE: 25/02 19:00: the effectiveness of repression: calm returns to the detention center of Bruges: Some placed in solitary confinment, groups of cops  with dogs. “Resisting was impossible” say the prisoners. 25/02 10:30: The police is in the center with … Continuer la lecture →

A man in his 50s tried to kill himself on Friday 14/02/2014. He cut himself with a knife. The other detainees were very upset this morning, the suicide attempt was spectacular. The man was taken to the hospital and the … Continuer la lecture →

Our Maggie Deblock and her friend Freddy Roosemont, director of the Immigration Office are visiting Conakry; At the same time, Guineans get stopped at the the Immigration Office or in public places. This February the 1, a police raid took … Continuer la lecture →

Ce 28/01/2014 à7h30 un nombre impressionnant de policiers accompagnés de chiens sont descendus dans les 3 ailes fonctionnelles du camp (une quatrième aile est en travaux suite à des évasions il y a 2 mois). Les détenus ont été amenés … Continuer la lecture →

Update 15/01 “Following the ‘encounter’ with the director of Vottem, five detainees were placed in solitary confinement and fifteen were transferred to other centres!!! The calm was restored! Since the evening of Saturday 11 January, the tension has been high … Continuer la lecture →

A few stories of women in the centres: A lot of women are ringing us these days to denounce the situation of their co-detainees in the closed centres of Bruges and Steenokkerzeel. A climate that is harsh and heavy. On … Continuer la lecture →

Update: 13/01: les travaux de peinture ont commencé dans l’aile 1. Même que certains détenus y participent et seraient payer pour leur travail (en noir?) Ce matin l’aile 1 du centre fermé 127bis à Steenokkerzeel a été vidée de ses … Continuer la lecture →

On Sunday 8th December in the afternoon,  cheerful chaps gathered in front of the 127bis closed centre in Steenokkerzeel. After they exchanged a few words with the detainees who were in the yard, the guards rapidly had the detainees go … Continuer la lecture →

In four closed centres, hunger strikes have been started by prisoners in protest against the death of a young man from the Ivory Coast in the closed centre of Bruges on 5 December, and out of solidarity with the people … Continuer la lecture →

Update 06/12 10 p;m A Bruges, la police est intervenue ce 06/12. Elle est restée dehors et a appelé plusieurs personnes un par un à l’extérieur. Trois personnes ont été Certains ont été mis en isolement, trois autres transférés vers … Continuer la lecture →

First the bad news The 17 Congolese at the 127 bis are in mourning: the mother of one of them died yesterday night in Angola. He had not seen her for years and has been retained in the closed centre … Continuer la lecture →

11/11/2013 The fight of the Congolese in the closed centres: Since the grouped flight that brought 10 Congolese and our Minister De Crem to Congo on 27th October 2013, around 30 Congolese are still detained in our closed centres in … Continuer la lecture →

5/11/2013 The flames of anger remain in the coldness of the closed centers. They consumed a sheet in a cell on Monday night in the closed centre of Vottem, as voices rose louder and louder against the detention conditions. Accident … Continuer la lecture →