In 2024 and 2025, through our contacts with detainees, we observed an increase in the number of arrests and imprisonments in closed centres of Moroccan nationals for the purpose of their deportation to their supposed ‘country of origin’: Morocco.
A heavy toll
Several so-called ‘collective’ flights, i.e. non-commercial and private flights, were organised by Belgium to Morocco in 2024 and 2025. According to the information available, there were to be 10 to 20 people deported on each flight. Deportations by ‘regular’ commercial flights also took place, organised by the Immigration Office in collaboration with the airline Royal Air Maroc.
The Immigration Office systematically links the reasons for these deportations to the criminalisation of undocumented migrants. An article by the European Migration Network states:
“Migration is one of the components of the agreement [aimed at strengthening cooperation between Belgium and Morocco], with measures to streamline the readmission procedures for irregular migrants who have been convicted of a criminal offence. In 2025, according to statistics from the Immigration Office, Moroccan nationals represented the largest group of migrants returned from Belgian prisons.”1
The Immigration Office proudly notes its figures for deportations from Belgium to Morocco, which can be found in various reports2.
- In 2024: 263 forced returns to Morocco from detention centres, 845 others from prisons, and 98 refoulements upon arrival at the Belgian border.
- In 2025: 358 forced returns to Morocco from detention centres, 873 others from prisons, and 78 refoulements upon arrival at the Belgian border.
Just last week, we learned that another collective flight had taken place with a dozen Moroccan nationals on board.
Behind the figures, human realities
Among these people are a number of young people, some of them very young, who were arrested at their place of work, in public spaces or during raids organised by the federal police around railway stations. Many were living on the streets or in squats, in extremely precarious conditions, after having fled or left their country for various reasons of their own.
And then, as is often the case among people whose lives have been marked by exile and racism, many of them are psychologically vulnerable and would need appropriate support and care. Instead, these people find themselves locked up without access to care, sometimes for months, only to be deported in the end.
Among the diversity of backgrounds and life experiences, others have found themselves detained in closed centres following a criminal conviction. In most cases, these people have been living and settled in Belgium for years: they have their roots here, sometimes a family, sometimes children. The links between prisons and closed centres, and the intertwining of the criminal justice system and the ‘border system’ (understood as racist and classist mechanisms of sorting and exclusion) have already been highlighted several times in previous publications3.
The reality of deportations
In 2024, we collected several testimonies of these deportations, some of which were carried out with great violence4.
For example, people testified about the flight AT-833 from Brussels to Casablanca on 18 June 2024, describing it as ‘terrifying’: there were a total of five detainees tied up (two women and three men), ‘accompanied’ by 28 plainclothes police officers (the ‘escorts’). Several instances of violence described (beatings, strangulation, administration of substances, etc.) are truly chilling.
In 2025, we know that there were several individual forced deportations by regular flights and collective flights (at least five collective flights, each carrying around ten people).
However, we have not been able to collect testimonies of these deportations, as they are so numerous and have become almost commonplace for the detainees concerned and their fellow detainees.
Belgium-Morocco: recent agreements between the two states
These deportations have become so frequent as a result of agreements between Belgium and Morocco.
In April 2024, it was reported that: ‘A large delegation from the federal government, accompanied by senior police officers and senior officials, is on a mission to Morocco. The fight against irregular immigration and the return policy are among the priority issues discussed with the Moroccan authorities.’5
And in October 2025, minister of foreign affairs Maxime Prévot signed an agreement to strengthen cooperation between Belgium and Morocco. It is also clear that there are economic issues behind these agreements. Although not specifically stated, we read:
“The meeting also highlighted the considerable economic potential of the Belgian-Moroccan partnership. The two ministers agreed to strengthen cooperation in strategic sectors such as energy, infrastructure, construction and port logistics. Belgium welcomed Morocco’s commitment to facilitating the integration of Belgian economic actors into its business ecosystem, while both countries emphasised their shared ambition to create new opportunities for investment and innovation.“6
We invite you to inform your contacts who may be affected by these mass deportations!
It is also possible to write to the Moroccan Embassy to contest these agreements at the following address: consulatmarocbruxelles@maec.gov.ma
We strongly reject these return agreements, which appear to be linked to shady economic and political dealings.
We refuse to accept the systematic deportation of people who simply want to live in peace and dignity in the country of their choice!
No to the criminalisation of undocumented migrants!
Down with states and their political agreements!
Papers for all!
Freedom!
1 https://emnbelgium.be/news/belgium-and-morocco-sign-agreement-strengthen-cooperation
2 https://dofi.ibz.be/sites/default/files/2025-04/STAT_Verwijderingen-Eloignements_FR_2017-2024.pdf
https://dofi.ibz.be/sites/default/files/2026-01/STAT_Verwijderingen_Eloignements_FR_2025-11.pdf
https://www.myria.be/fr/publications/le-recours-a-des-moyens-de-contrainte-elargis-dans-le-cadre-de-la-politique-de-retour
3 https://www.gettingthevoiceout.org/double-penalty-or-banishment-a-peculiar-method-of-racism/
https://www.radiopanik.org/emissions/emissions-speciales/4-de-la-prison-au-centre-ferme-la-double-peine/
4 https://www.gettingthevoiceout.org/new-group-deportation-to-morocco-on-17-december-2024/
https://www.gettingthevoiceout.org/mass-deportations-of-people-of-moroccan-origin/
https://www.gettingthevoiceout.org/the-terrifying-flight-at-833-from-brussels-to-casablanca/
