The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) is a Council of Europe body established in 1989 to prevent torture and other forms of ill-treatment of persons deprived of their liberty. It carries out periodic visits to Member States, usually once every four years, as well as additional ad hoc visits when necessary. During these visits, CPT delegations have access to places of detention and can meet persons deprived of their liberty in private. The CPT’s most recent periodic visit to Belgium took place from 15 to 26 May 2025 and focused on prisons and forensic psychiatric centres. The report following this visit, published on 8 September 2026 together with the response of the Belgian authorities, set out findings and recommendations concerning the treatment and conditions of persons deprived of their liberty in the establishments visited.

During the September 2026 visit, the delegation held consultations with Anneleen Van Bossuyt, Minister for Asylum and Migration, Social Integration and Major Cities, officials from the Immigration Office and the Ministry of the Interior, as well as with Koen Dewulf, Director of Myria, Myria staff members, a representative of the Federal Institute for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights (IFDH/FIRM) in its capacity as National Preventive Mechanism, and representatives of non-governmental organisations. The delegation visited five closed centres (127bis, Caricole, Holsbeek, Merksplas and Vottem), as well as the detention zone at Brussels-National Airport.

At the end of the visit, the delegation shared its preliminary observations with the Belgian authorities. The CPT is expected to adopt a report on the visit in March 2027. The report will subsequently be communicated to the Belgian authorities and will include recommendations aimed at improving the situation of persons deprived of their liberty in the migration context.

For further information, please read this press release.