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Belgium keeps detaining illegally residing criminals until they leave

Xinhua, April 9, 2015 Adjust font size:

Criminals residing illegally in Belgium will no loner be offered early release unless they agree to leave the country immediately under the terms of the new justice bill, local media reported on Thursday.

Under the provisions of the new bill, the usual sanctions for early-release prisoners, such as ankle-tagging or community service, will not apply to any criminals found to be living illegally in Belgium, Het Laatste Nieuws reported.

The justice bill is a joint undertaking by Justice Minister Koen Geens and Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration Theo Francken.

According the draft law, illegal residents who are granted early release will have to leave Belgium immediately. If those same people return to Belgium, they will be sent back to prison to serve the remainder of their original sentence.

Currently only about 10 per cent of undocumented prisoners released from prison are forcibly repatriated. This is "far too little" according to Theo Francken.

The justice bill is set to be debated in Parliament before the summer recess. Endit