Belgium Prison Workers Go on Strike Over Overcrowding, Violence

(MENAFN) Prison employees throughout Belgium launched a nationwide strike on Monday in response to worsening conditions inside the country’s correctional facilities, including severe overcrowding, increasing violence, and unsustainable workloads, according to reports from local news agency.

The industrial action began at 6 a.m. local time after discussions between trade unions and the office of Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden failed to produce an agreement on how to address long-standing issues affecting the prison system. Workers have been calling for urgent reforms to improve conditions and staffing levels.

In an unusual development, prison directors themselves expressed support for the strike, describing the situation inside facilities as “untenable,” reflecting growing concern even among senior management.

Mathilde Steenbergen, who leads Belgium’s prison administration, was expected to visit striking staff at Lantin prison as a show of solidarity with personnel involved in the action.

Official figures indicate that Belgian prisons currently house around 13,733 inmates, despite an operational capacity of 11,064. The overcrowding has led to emergency arrangements, with hundreds of prisoners reportedly forced to sleep on mattresses placed directly on cell floors.

Trade unions have also warned that staffing shortages combined with rising incidents of violence inside detention centers are putting additional strain on personnel. They further cautioned that the situation could deteriorate further during the upcoming summer holiday period if no urgent measures are taken.

MENAFN11052026000045017640ID1111096360