Detainees at the closed centre 127bis (R1 wing) in Steenokkerzeel are very traumatised: a detainee who arrived at the centre 2 days ago allegedly slit his wrists in the toilets on Sunday afternoon, 11 August 2024.
“There was blood everywhere in the corridor, it was terrible”.
Although the exact reasons why this man wanted to take his own life are unknown, fellow inmates point to the deplorable environment of these detention centres:
“Our living conditions are unbearable”.
Just a few days ago, people detained in the same wing of the centre told that they could no longer bear the living conditions in which they were held:
“I can’t stand it here anymore, I can’t breathe through the smells, they don’t clean the toilets anymore, smells are coming in, even in our rooms, even in the room where we eat we are not comfortable at all.”
“We have had enough of this centre, it is too dirty, the whole centre here stinks of toilets. Besides being robbed of our freedom, we don’t want to leave here sick. If you guys can help us, this is the time.”
In any case, it is clear that detention in particularly unbearable conditions significantly increases the risk of self-destructive behaviour in people who, for the most part, have already suffered from exile and insecurity. The authorities are well aware of this and this tragic event is unfortunately not the first.
The man has reportedly been taken to hospital. To date, we have no news about his health condition. The inmates tell us:
‘ We must denounce all this, come to us! “
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