About Belgium's Correctional System
Belgium's correctional system is managed by the Direction générale des Établissements pénitentiaires. For inmate searches, use the official contacts listed below or contact the facility directly using the phone numbers on this page. Where available, the facility listings below include addresses, inmate capacity, and descriptive information.
For US citizens detained in Belgium, contact US Embassy Belgium at +32 2 811 4000 immediately, or call the US State Department Citizens Emergency Center at 1-888-407-4747 from the US.
Belgium Resources & Legal Services
Key Belgium Prison Contacts
| Agency / Contact | Location | Phone | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direction générale des Établissements pénitentiaires | Belgium | +32-2-542-6511 | Visit Site |
| US Embassy Belgium | Belgium | +32 2 811 4000 | Visit Site |
| US State Dept Emergency (from US) | Washington DC | 1-888-407-4747 | Visit Site |
Showing 39 facilities in Belgium
Facility
Closed
Small-scale detention house for short-sentence prisoners (up to 3 years). Residents live in groups with intensive support for reintegration from day one. More autonomous atmosphere than a classic prison.
Facility
Closed
Former Forest Prison converted into a small-scale detention house for short-sentence prisoners (sentences up to 3 years). Now one of Brussels' specialized reintegration-focused facilities operating under the Masterplan reform.
Facility
Medium
Belgium's largest and most modern prison. Opened in 2022 as a penitentiary village in north-east Brussels. Capacity of 1035�1200 prisoners. Designed to replace Saint-Gilles and Forest prisons. BREEAM 'very good' certified. Built via public-private partnership.
Facility
Closed
Historic 19th-century Brussels prison undergoing phased closure as Haren Prison absorbs its population. As of early 2023 over 100 prisoners were transferred to Haren. Three cell wings remain in operation. Known for poor sanitary and structural conditions.
Facility
Closed
Central prison of Leuven functioning as a closed-regime long-sentence facility. One of the older penitentiary institutions in Flanders. Houses male prisoners serving medium to long sentences.
Facility
Minimum
Open-regime agricultural penitentiary centre in West Flanders. Inmates voluntarily accept the regime and work on agricultural land inside and outside the prison. Focused on rehabilitation through meaningful work outdoors.
Facility
Minimum
Open-regime penitentiary training centre. Inmates voluntarily accept the regime and often work inside or outside the prison during the day. Focused on vocational training and rehabilitation with agricultural and craft work programs.
Facility
Closed
One of Belgium's oldest and most overcrowded prisons. Serves as a remand and sentence facility. Built in the 19th century in the Ducp�tiaux star model. Chronic overcrowding has been condemned by the European Court of Human Rights.
Facility
Closed
Modern prison opened in 2014 as a public-private partnership. Functions as a maison d'arr�t and maison de peine for male prisoners. One of Belgium's newer facilities with contemporary infrastructure.
Facility
Closed
Built in 1862 on the Ducp�tiaux model and since thoroughly renovated. Serves as remand and sentence prison. Includes a women's section and psychiatric annex. Applies a closed regime. One of Belgium's larger facilities.
Facility
Closed
Opened in 2005 as a modern facility serving as both remand and sentence prison. Has separate male and female sections as well as a drug-free section. Contains a radicalization monitoring unit.
Facility
Closed
Small prison first opened in 1876 as a remand facility. Completely destroyed in World War I and rebuilt in 1919. An additional wing added in the 1970s and major renovations in the late 1990s. Significantly expanded 2022�2023. Reopened January 2024 after a two-year closure.
Facility
Closed
Prison in Mechelen (Malines) serving as remand and sentence facility for the judicial district. 19th-century building with subsequent renovations. Handles both short and medium sentence prisoners.
Facility
Closed
Belgium's smallest prison. Historical facility serving the Tongeren judicial district. Functions as a local remand prison with a very limited capacity. As of 2016 it had an average of only 21 inmates.
Facility
Closed
Prison in the provincial town of Turnhout in the Campine region. Functions as remand and sentence facility for the judicial district. 19th-century architecture with subsequent renovations.
Facility
Minimum
Open-regime prison in the Campine area closely related to the Hoogstraten centre. Inmates voluntarily accept the regime. Focused on rehabilitation and reintegration through work. Located on a former agricultural colony.
Facility
Closed
New prison opened in March 2023 as a public-private partnership. Functions as remand and sentence facility for 488 male prisoners. Contemporary infrastructure designed around meaningful detention and reintegration preparation.
Facility
Closed
Secondary (auxiliary) prison in Dendermonde reopened in 2024 after renovation works. Supports the main Dendermonde prison. Houses remand and sentence prisoners in the judicial district of Dendermonde.
Facility
Closed
Secondary (auxiliary) prison in Leuven serving primarily as a remand facility. Smaller establishment linked administratively to the Leuven Central prison. Handles overflow from the main facility.
Facility
Closed
Small-scale detention house for prisoners serving short sentences (up to 3 years). Residents live in groups with intensive reintegration support from day one. Personnel provide accompaniment and organize the house. Opened under Masterplan reforms.
Facility
Closed
Large penitentiary complex serving West Flanders. Functions as remand and sentence facility. Contains a high-security section capable of housing up to 10 maximum-security prisoners. Includes sections for men and women.
Facility
Closed
Large prison in the province of Antwerp. Serves as remand and sentence facility. Reports of severe mold and mildew in showers. Subject to European Court rulings on poor detention conditions (Vasilescu judgment). Has undergone renovation works.
Facility
Closed
Prison d'Audenarde served as a remand prison from 1922 to 1933. Reopened in 1936 and has since functioned primarily as a sentence facility for long-term male prisoners with a closed regime.
Facility
Minimum
Open detention centre in the Ardennes. Inmates voluntarily accept the open regime and typically work inside or outside the prison during the day. Focused on reintegration and vocational activities in a rural setting.
Facility
Minimum
Open-regime penitentiary education centre. Inmates voluntarily accept the regime and engage in work and training. Historically praised for its rehabilitative approach. Prisoners typically perform work matching their pre-incarceration skills.
Facility
Closed
Social defence institution exclusively for internees. Residents are persons with psychiatric disorders who have committed criminal acts. Described as part-prison part-psychiatric hospital. Residents are referred to as patients rather than prisoners.
Facility
Closed
Large closed-regime prison near Li�ge. Serves as both remand and sentence facility. Chronic overcrowding has led to court-ordered fines against the Belgian state (1000 euros per excess detainee per day since 2023). Has reports of cockroaches and rats.
Facility
Closed
Prison opened in 1997 as a closed-regime sentence facility. Most inmates serve long sentences. It functions as a maison de peine (sentenced prisoners only) with a strictly closed regime.
Facility
Closed
Small regional prison serving the province of Luxembourg. Functions as both a remand prison (maison d'arr�t) and a sentence facility (maison de peine). Built in the 19th century.
Facility
Closed
Modern high-security prison opened in 1980. Serves as a sentence facility for long-term male prisoners. Contains a specialized radicalization monitoring section (20 places). Frequently referenced in European human rights reports.
Facility
Closed
Small 19th-century remand and sentence prison located in the city of Dinant along the Meuse River. Functions as a local courthouse prison for the judicial district.
Facility
Closed
19th-century prison serving as a remand facility (maison d'arr�t) and sentence prison for the judicial district of Huy in the province of Li�ge. Relatively small establishment.
Facility
Closed
19th-century sentence prison in the province of Hainaut. Houses male long-term prisoners. Subject to ongoing renovation and capacity expansion under Belgium's Masterplan. Recurring reports of overcrowding and poor conditions.
Facility
Closed
Modern prison opened in 2014 as part of Masterplan I under a public-private partnership. Has been at full capacity since 2015 with occupancy rates regularly exceeding 110%. Male remand and sentence facility.
Facility
Closed
Modern prison opened in 2013 under a public-private partnership. Male closed-regime remand and sentence facility serving the province of Luxembourg. Part of Belgium's Masterplan prison modernization program.
Facility
Closed
Prison in the city of Mons. Functions as remand and sentence facility. Subject to overcrowding fines by Belgian courts (2000 euros per excess detainee per day since January 2024). 19th-century institution with ongoing issues.
Facility
Closed
Star-shaped prison that has served as remand and sentence facility since 1874. Also contains an open section and a psychiatric annex. Visits must be reserved by telephone to 081/71.54.79.
Facility
Closed
Remand and sentence prison in Brabant wallon. Built in a traditional wing-based design. Subject to ongoing overcrowding. Has been documented for poor shower access and hygiene conditions for inmates.
Facility
Closed
Opened in 1868 built according to the Ducp�tiaux model. Houses both sentenced and remand prisoners. Known for poor shower access for inmates. Visits must be reserved by telephone to 069/890.310.
Belgium Prison FAQ
Browse the facility listings on this page to find the specific institution, then contact them directly using the phone number listed. For US citizens detained in Belgium, contact US Embassy Belgium at +32 2 811 4000 immediately.
Contact US Embassy Belgium at +32 2 811 4000 immediately, or call the US State Department Citizens Emergency Center at 1-888-407-4747 from the US. Consular officers can visit detained Americans, provide lists of local attorneys, and notify family members.
Visitation rules vary significantly by facility and security level in Belgium. You will typically need to be on an approved visitor list, present valid government-issued photo ID, and comply with the facility's dress code. Contact the specific facility directly using the phone number listed on this page to confirm current visitation hours and requirements.
Contact Ordre des barreaux francophones et germanophone for referrals to qualified criminal defense attorneys in Belgium. The US Embassy can also provide a list of local attorneys. You can also find a criminal lawyer through our directory.
Each Belgium facility has its own approved methods for receiving inmate funds. Contact the facility directly using the phone numbers listed on this page for current accepted payment methods, deposit limits, and procedures.