ABSTRACT
Until recently, the only effective regulation of Belgian prisons has been made by the Council of Europe (‘CoE’), in particular the European Court of Human Rights (‘ECtHR’), the Committee of Ministers and the Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (‘CPT’), which have extended the scope of their supervision to cover detention conditions during prison strikes, physical and mental healthcare, overcrowding and domestic legal remedies for prisoners. Recently, Belgium has partially complied with ECtHR case-law and CPT recommendations, with the creation of a minimum guaranteed service during prison strikes, and the implementation of the right to complain.
