Belgium explores renting prison places in Estonia amid overcrowding crisis

Belgium is exploring the possibility of renting prison places in Estonia to ease severe overcrowding in its jails.

Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden (CD&V) and Asylum and Migration Minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt (N-VA) are embarking on a two-day diplomatic mission to the Baltic state to assess whether it could host Belgian detainees without legal residence, Caliber.Az reports via Belgian media.

Belgian prisons currently hold 13,500 inmates, exceeding capacity by 2,500, with 600 forced to sleep on mats on the floor. Around one-third of prisoners lack legal residence in Belgium, highlighting the government’s urgent need to reduce pressure on the system.

The ministers have previously explored similar arrangements in Kosovo and Albania, but concerns were raised about potential human rights risks and long-term sustainability. Estonia, an EU member state, was identified as a potential option due to excess prison capacity and existing arrangements with Sweden, which will see 600 Swedish prisoners sent to Estonia later this year.

However, critics warn that practical challenges could undermine the plan. Pieter Houbey, vice-chair of Belgium’s prison oversight council, stressed that detainees’ rights, including family visits and access to lawyers, could be compromised.

“Will all those family members, lawyers and officials have to fly to Estonia every time?” he asked. Pre-trial detainees, who must regularly meet lawyers and appear in court, could face particular difficulties.

Questions also remain about post-sentence arrangements. It is unclear whether Belgian prisoners would be returned to Belgium, transferred to closed immigration detention centres, or directly deported. In 2024, only 1,261 of 7,570 released foreign inmates without legal residence were repatriated, while the majority received a simple order to leave the country.

The Belgian government emphasises that the visit is exploratory. No agreements have yet been made regarding the number of prisoners, costs, or specific procedures.

By Aghakazim Guliyev