Nationwide prison strike in Belgium on 11–12 May 2026
Last Updated:
Belgian prison staff begin a national strike at 06:00 on Monday 11 May 2026, called by ACV Openbare Diensten / CSC Services publics — Gevangenissen / Prisons and partners. The action runs in two phases: a first walkout 06:00–22:00 on 11 May, followed by a continuous national action from 22:00 on 11 May until 06:00 on 13 May, covering every prison across Flanders, Wallonia and the Brussels-Capital Region. Unions cite chronic overcrowding (13,733 inmates against an official capacity of 11,064 — about 754 detainees sleeping on mattresses on the floor), excessive workload and rising violence against staff. Several prison directors have publicly endorsed the action, calling the situation "untenable".
This alert was originally created on 29 April 2026.
Effective Dates
Updates
Affected Locations
- Flanders
- Wallonia
- Brussels-Capital Region
Sources
- https://www.acv-gevangenissen.be/3141140_nationale-stakingsaanzegging-gevangenissen
- https://www.brusselstimes.com/belgium/2102929/prison-unions-announce-nationwide-strike-for-11-may
- https://www.acv-gevangenissen.be/3134680_acties-op-11-en-12-mei
- https://www.brusselstimes.com/belgium/2102929/prison-unions-announce-nationwide-strike-for-11-may/
- https://www.belganewsagency.eu/belgian-prison-staff-strike-over-overcrowding
- https://www.coe.int/en/web/execution/-/belgium-prison-conditions-during-strike
AI-Assisted Content: This alert was compiled by AI agents and may contain inaccuracies. Please check the cited sources above.
Learn more about our AI.