Category: Testimonies

Picture of a retainee once released and remark by his host: “They released him giving him the direction of the train station, without documents’. He arrived like this, with two numbers around his wrist (one from the police, the other … Continuer la lecture →

Friday 2 November 2018. H calls me … He has been retained in Vottem since 23 August « I am not well…; they gave me another room, I am with another man; we are only allowed one hour outside, we … Continuer la lecture →

Testimony 19/03/2017 Hello, On Tuesday 14th of March, I was arrested at Charleroi airport because of overstaying (90/180, not indicated on my vignette, and I was not aware of it). I was driven to the closed centre like a criminal. … Continuer la lecture →

UPDATE 12/04: This morning, Mamadou got a ticket for his deportation to Gambia on the following day. The result of an appeal for his release was also due to fall on the same day: the court decided that his retention … Continuer la lecture →

27/03/2016 ‘I’m sorry for you, but didn’t you look for it?’ These words remind us of other words by people arrested and retained in the closed centre that we heard several times in the past: ‘In Africa, white people have … Continuer la lecture →

They are thousands those last months to present themselves at the Foreign Office in Brussels, hoping to obtain asylum in our country. They are visible, the media talk daily about them.And as in the entire Schengen area, the filtering is … Continuer la lecture →

Testimony in Arabic by a man detained for several months in different closed centres in Belgium 08/08/2015 audio testimony here Question : Hi, how are you? Answer : How can I be OK? I’m not OK at all. Q : … Continuer la lecture →

8th April 2015 They are in love and are expecting a happy event. They naturally decided to get married. The date had been set to April 17th 2015. They were convened for an ‘interview’ this morning, 8th of April 2015, … Continuer la lecture →

Who can translate ? Entretiens avec Jacques: Après huit tentatives d’expulsions il se retrouve à Kinshasa Publié le 9 septembre 2014 par Martine – Read this post in Nederlands Le 3 septembre 2014 Kinshasa Monsieur Jacques est arrivé en Belgique … Continuer la lecture →

A lot of deported people come back to Belgium when they are not too far away and/or can afford to, because they have all their friends and family here. For others however it is hell! Testimonies of deported Congolese: A … Continuer la lecture →

At the closed centre of Bruges, in the morning of October 6th, everything was terrible. No usual breakfast, on purpose, so that they find me in the weakest possible state. As if I was going to pass on the electric … Continuer la lecture →

 Testimonyin English of a man who was in Merksplas during a hongerstrike in september 2013 Greve merksplas So, I was for 2 months in Merksplas, and during these two months what I see, it’s a place they call centre but … Continuer la lecture →

Short report from the deportation centre, from someone inside. It is very bad in the deportation centre. the deportation centre is more bad than the prison. if you go to the prison you know why. there is a reason and … Continuer la lecture →

    Tension has been really high for several weeks in the closed centre of Steenokkerzeel. The attention of some detainees is concentrated on the worrying situation of some of them. Last week a detainee of Palestinian origin who had been … Continuer la lecture →

Googletransl Testimony of a woman during her second deportation attempt sikatémoignage It was last Sunday on August 11 , I had my second deportation attempt. We left the center at 9:30 am , with the drivers as usual, with guards … Continuer la lecture →

 Transcript of a phone call by a detainee in Steenokkerzeel “This is not normal at all Madam, It is not a prison here, it is a waiting room and for somme even a death row. A closed waiting room. No … Continuer la lecture →

Testimony by a man who was subjected to a third and a fourth deportation attempt April 2013. Finally he was free Ils m’ont marché dessus What happened yesterday? Yesterday I was brought to the airport for a third deportation under … Continuer la lecture →

Guinean woman arrested on 15/04, probably for the collective flight to Guinea and Senegal. She was released on 25/04 due to an urgent appeal by his lawyer Testimony je leur ai dit que j’avais pas de papiers Download testimony – … Continuer la lecture →

 Testimony of an attempt to evict of a lady from the Ivory Coast, arrested on arrival at the airport and detained in the closed centre Caricole. Finally she did get deported to Egypt during another eviction attempt. la seule différence … Continuer la lecture →

A man has been detained in the closed centre of Vottem for 4 months. He insists to have an interview. They were supposed to release him on March 14th, after 4 months of detention. He was told that his detention … Continuer la lecture →

12/03/2013: they are deported to Bulgarie after a long stop in  isolation in the closed centre 127 bis Testimony here:[audio:http://www.gettingthevoiceout.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Enreg002.mp3|titles=Bulgares donc voleurs] They were four in their car on the highway near Antwerp. One police car was following them, then … Continuer la lecture →

We have more and more contacts with deported people who, as soon as they arrived to their country of origin gave themselves the means, within a few months, to do the return trip and come back here. «  They have got … Continuer la lecture →

Testimony by a Guinean man detained in the closed centre of Vottem for 3 months.  Listen (FR) : Ils donnent des pots de vin pour obtenir des laissez-passer You have been at the Vottem closed centre for three months already, … Continuer la lecture →

“Please Sir do something for us, I’m begging you Sir. We are living in dreadful conditions here. We are scared. Some women have been here for two, three, four months. It is awful here. We can not give our name, … Continuer la lecture →

 20/12 Our Brazilian friend detained in Merskplas since October had been released by the Court this morning on 20/12. He was really happy. But then the news fell: he will have to stay in Merksplas and go to see new … Continuer la lecture →

Email from the friend of a detainee in the closed centre 127bis in Steenokkerzeel 18/11/2012 We met through the internet in August 2009. Every day we had contacts by email and telephone. He came to see me on January 19th … Continuer la lecture →

7/11/12 Interview of a father living with his family in a return house. We haven’t had any news from them since the interview. 21/11: Family is always in Zulte! Listen here in Nederlands: ITW NL_01 Since when have you been … Continuer la lecture →

Mr VS and his son, 20 years old, have been deported to their country of origin. The father was handed over to the Armenian authorities and put to jail, waiting for a trial he had fled. His son is waiting … Continuer la lecture →

Interview of a man arrested at the airport of Brussels and imprisoned in the closed centre “Caricole” and then in the closed centre of Vottem. His asylum request was rejected in spite of all the evidence of persecutions he was … Continuer la lecture →

September 20 2012 : Phone Interview of a militant of the group SP Belgium, detained in the Merksplas centre in Flanders. He got arrested because he was not wearing his seat belt.  ( http://www.gettingthevoiceout.org/empechons-l-expulsion-dun-militant-du-collectif-des-sans-papiers/ ) He refused his first deportation … Continuer la lecture →

26/07/2012 He was deproted to Quatar and after to Somalia because they do’nt believe he was from Somalia! Appeal for mobilsation to the airport here Interview during his detention: somalien_edit What do you want to say to the people from … Continuer la lecture →

Interview with a woman whose companion is detained in Merksplas detention centre. He was detained after they introduced their request at the commune. They are being accused of a marriage of convenience. After 4 months in closed center Merksplas he … Continuer la lecture →

read and sign de petitie FR,NL,ENG http://11668.lapetition.be/ http://www.gettingthevoiceout.org/ils-me-cognaient-la-tete-contre-la-tablette-du-siege-fr-2/

Mr. Mola Eddy, member of MIRGEC (Independent Movement for the Recognition of Congolese Genocide), was subjected to several violent deportation attempts before he was eventually deported on 20 June 2012. At each attempt he was mistreated by his Belgian escorts. … Continuer la lecture →

http://11668.lapetition.be/ The father is deported in Teheran, the mother is in the hospital in Mechelen, and their son, 3 years and a half, is in a state of shock. The authorities continue to try to deport the mother ande the … Continuer la lecture →

12/06/12 This is the testimony of an Iranian man who suffered extreme violence during his latest deportation. Two days later he was put in an isolation cell again to be deported to Turkey and then to Iran. Listen to the … Continuer la lecture →

29/05/2012 Interview of a Tunisian man who got deported to Tunisia. His companion and two of his children went to Tunisia to support him. Listen (FR) : J’ai 4 enfants belges I have four children who have the Belgian nationality. … Continuer la lecture →

25/05/2012 A testimony of an Afghan man who was arrested after starting a hunger strike with 30 other persons to protest against the treatement of persons without papers in Belgium Listen (FR) : Ils veulent m’envoyer en Afghanistan_01 Hello, I … Continuer la lecture →

Interview of a man detained in the closed centre of Merksplas. He got arrested when in transit from Morocco to England. He is living in England where he has had the refugee status for 10 years. Listen (FR) : Je … Continuer la lecture →

I don’t know if someone is aware of the body search they make when one is deported, but when they search someone, it is really inhuman. Since when have you been in the 127bis closed centre? They shut me up … Continuer la lecture →

8 March 2012 – Testimony by a young girl detained in the 127bis Centre who was the impotent witness of a collective deportation to Congo Listen to the testimony (FR) : [audio:http://www.gettingthevoiceout.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Ce-nest-pas-logique-de-traiter-les-gens-de-cette-facon.mp3|titles=Ce n’est pas logique de traiter les gens de … Continuer la lecture →

20 February 2012 – phone interview from the detention centre 127bis  Listen to the testimony (FR) : Je vois un homme qui est mort devant moi Hello? I am leaving tomorrow. Tomorrow? why? are they going to deport you? I … Continuer la lecture →

9th March 2011 : Phone conversation with a Congolese lady who has just gone through an expulsion after having spent four months in a detention centre. She is now in Kinsasha. Listen to the interview (FR) : [audio:http://gettingthevoiceout.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/vous-pouvez-fermer-les-centres-fermc3a9s.mp3|titles=vous-pouvez-fermer-les-centres-fermc3a9s] – Can you … Continuer la lecture →

6th March 2011: Story of the sister of two Armenian men, one of whom has just been deported from Belgium. Listen to the interview (NL) : [audio:http://gettingthevoiceout.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/ils-ne-voulaient-pas-croire-quils-c3a9taient-ses-fils-fr_01.mp3|titles=ils-ne-voulaient-pas-croire-quils-c3a9taient-ses-fils-fr_01] You have two brothers who came from Armenia. One of them was deported; … Continuer la lecture →

29 February 2011: Telephone conversation with a detainee during a protest in front of centre 127bis, during the course of which the prisoners started a fire inside the building. Listen to the interview (ENG) : [audio:http://gettingthevoiceout.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/ici-cest-comme-guantanamo.mp3|titles=ici-cest-comme-guantanamo] How are you? I … Continuer la lecture →

28 January 2011 – Telephone conversation with a detainee during an action in front of the Merksplas detention centre I am here at the Merksplas centre. I have been imprisoned since 16 September, that’s 4 months and 17 days. And … Continuer la lecture →

This interview was conducted during an action carried out at the Merksplas detention centre on 28 January 2011. Listen to the interview (NL) : [audio:http://gettingthevoiceout.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/ik-wil-niet-dat-ze-mij-slaan.mp3|titles=ik-wil-niet-dat-ze-mij-slaan] I would like to tell you what happened to us. I speak good Dutch. I … Continuer la lecture →

28th January 2011: A detainee’s account by telephone during an action taking place in front of the Merksplas detention centre. Listen to the interview (ENG & FR) : [audio:http://gettingthevoiceout.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/je-ne-parle-pas-pour-moi.mp3|titles=je-ne-parle-pas-pour-moi] My name is…….I come from Cameroon. I have been held here … Continuer la lecture →

28 January 2011 – Telephone interview with a detainee during an action in front of the Merksplas detention centre Listen to the interview (FR) : [audio:http://gettingthevoiceout.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/ya-pas-de-droits-de-lhomme-ici.mp3|titles=ya-pas-de-droits-de-lhomme-ici] I am in the centre, so I’ll tell you my story. I submitted my … Continuer la lecture →

28 January 2011 – Telephone interview with a detainee during an action in front of the Merksplas detention centre Listen to the interview (FR) : [audio:http://gettingthevoiceout.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/a-linterieur-il-y-a-des-choses-que-lon-ne-veut-pas-montrer.mp3|titles=a-linterieur-il-y-a-des-choses-que-lon-ne-veut-pas-montrer] Hello? Yes, hello! I am in front of your flag. (Where the phone number … Continuer la lecture →

22 January 2011 – Testimony as told to a visitor at a detention centre I am 41 years old, I am married and I have 3 children. We were living in a village occupied by Israel in Palestine. I had … Continuer la lecture →

21 January 2011 Listen to the testimony (FR) : [audio:http://gettingthevoiceout.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/vous-les-avocats-noirs.mp3|titles=vous-les-avocats-noirs] My name is Thierry, I am Congolese. I arrived in Belgium on the 9November 2010 at 3.30pm. I landed at Zaventem airport just like any other passenger and I presented … Continuer la lecture →

Text messages exchanged between a detainee at the 127bis centre and a volunteer visitor. 12/12/2010, 20.02 Thanks for your reply. My name is XX. I am Iranian. I speak Persian but I have a translator who speaks Dutch. I’d like … Continuer la lecture →

19 January 2011 – Story of a young man who spent two and a half months in detention centres in Zaventem and Liège Listen to the interview (ARABE and FR) : [audio:http://gettingthevoiceout.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/javais-limpression-detre-sous-la-terre.mp3|titles=javais-limpression-detre-sous-la-terre] – How did you end up in detention? … Continuer la lecture →

18 January 2011 – telephone interview from detention centre 127bis -How long have you been at 127bis? -Today is my 21st day here. – I understand you’ve travelled a lot, is that right? – Yes lots! (he laughs) – So … Continuer la lecture →

Listen to the story (FR) : [audio:http://gettingthevoiceout.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/nous-vivons-sur-le-qui-vive.mp3|titles=nous-vivons-sur-le-qui-vive] 17 January 2011 – A detainee of the Zaventem centre on the phone First I would like to say, concerning detention centres, because it is the first time that I enter them but … Continuer la lecture →

16 January 2011 – Story of a young South American girl who spent 12 days at detention centre 127bis Listen to the story (in French): [audio:http://gettingthevoiceout.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/jai-garde-le-souvenir-des-menottes.mp3] It was in 2005, I was coming back from work when a friend phoned … Continuer la lecture →

15 January 2011 – Story of someone who spent 3 months in the 127bis centre and in the centre in Bruges Listen to the story (in French): [audio:http://gettingthevoiceout.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/ce-sont-vraiment-des-prisons.mp3] Hello, my name is Sylvain. I am from the Ivory Coast, Abidjan. … Continuer la lecture →