February 9, 2012 : A Man locked up in the Bruges closed centre testifies on the phone
Listen to the testimony (FR) :
[audio:http://www.gettingthevoiceout.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Ici-on-est-en-Belgique.mp3|titles=Ici, on est en Belgique]Hello, where are you ?
Right now, I am in the Bruges’ closed centre.
How things are going inside?
Nothing is done to take good care of us. The food is not good. Every day, we eat potatoes, either fried or mashed, but potatoes all the time.
Medically speaking, I have muscular inflammations but, until then I have received any attention from the doctor regarding this problem. Every day, he tells me that I am going to be fine; I just need to be patient. I will have to wait at least a month before to receive appropriate medical attention. But it is hard to wait when you are not doctor yourself, you do not know what is wrong. For example, my arm hurts for weeks, and I do not know why.
Since your arrest, your arm has been painful?
Yes, and I told them about that.
And is there a doctor inside the centre?
There is one, but he is a general doctor. He just give consultations, and after that, we have no means here, we just able to take the few medicaments we receive.
And how things are going with guards in the centre?
Guards….well, they all try to be nice, but sometimes there is not enough staff and we have to wait a long time in the cold, before to go outside or to eat.
And what about visits, are you allowed to receive visits?
Yes we have, one hour per day, and every day in the week.
And are there making troubles until now with people who come to visit you?
No, as far as I know, according to the rules, you just need an ID and being on time.
Were you living close to the centre?
Yes, I used to live in Ostende, I were arrested in Ostende, to my address. A policeman came alone, and rang to the door. I looked by the window and saw the police was here. I presented him my regularization and marriage papers which are still valid, we are not divorced yet. He asked me to come with him to the police station, so I went to take some staffs I needed with me. When my girlfriend asked how long I would be gone, he told her it would take 2 or 3 hours maximum before I came back. I get into the car, and we went to the police station. At my arrival, he took my papers and brought them into an office. When he came back, I wad told the person in charge to check my papers was not here, and I would have to wait. They brought me downstairs in a cell and asked me to give them everything I had, so I gave my phone, lighter, keys… Then I asked to call my lawyer to inform him about my situation. His answer was no, it was not possible to call my lawyer, because here, we are in Belgium and not in America. He turned to his co-worker and told him something, and when he came back in the cell he hit me. I moved back in the cell, asking: “Stop, stop, why are you doing this? I am not making any problems; I am just asking to call my lawyer”. But he kept punching me, and then they put me handcuffs and pushed me into a cell. On the morning, I realized I had wounds at my hand, my leg because of punches and kicks I received. It keeps hurting me at this time. I do not know if it is because of that I have an inflammation. That is how it happened.
Are there other people in the centre who are experimented difficulties as well, with food or health?
Yes, I am not the only one, everybody, there is just on doctor for the all centre, that cannot be efficient.
