Brussels – Since the start of the year, 68 people have been placed in detention centres after attending an interview at the Belgian Immigration Office, compared with 71 in the whole of 2025, according to Le Soir. The practice is contested by organisations that defend the rights of foreign nationals, but the Court of Cassation has upheld it.
On 21 May, a Palestinian national was detained following an interview: the authorities cite his failure to comply with previous orders to leave the territory as well as a flight risk, a version that his lawyer, however, contests. According to the Court of Cassation, there was no proof of deception by the Office, which is not legally required to warn individuals about the possibility of an arrest.
According to several lawyers and support organisations, applicants therefore face a dilemma: failing to attend is tantamount to withdrawing their application, but attending may lead to detention. This therefore encourages illegal behaviour.
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
