Belgian oversight body finds Brussels Palace of Justice cells unfit for detention

The Belgian National Mechanism for the Prevention of Ill-Treatment in Detention (MNP) published two visit reports on the Portalis and Poelaert cell complexes at the Brussels Palace of Justice, concluding that cells are unsuitable for detention even for short periods. The findings highlight systemic deficiencies in detention conditions within judicial facilities, potentially exposing the state to legal and reputational risk. The reports are based on official inspections, but the full scope of required remedial action remains unclear.