Brussels: A Belgian civil court has ruled that living conditions at Ghent Prison constitute 'humiliating treatment,' citing persistent overcrowding at the facility, Belga News Agency reported Friday.

According to Anadolu Agency, the court found that overcrowding at the prison was 'structural and systematic' and violated standards under Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which prohibits torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. The court has given the Belgian state six months to transfer nearly 200 detainees to another prison.

Citing the Ghent Supervisory Committee's 2025 annual report, the court noted that the prison's population was nearly double its capacity. This overcrowding has significantly pressured available living space, hygiene, access to facilities, and overall living conditions.

The court acknowledged that the Belgian government was taking steps to address the situation and considering further measures. However, it criticized authorities for failing to tackle long-standing structural overcrowding and its impact on detainees' fundamental rights. "This is not a temporary deviation from a functioning system, but a recurring and persistent problem' that the Belgian state has known about for 'many years," the court ruled.

Prison guards across Belgium have been on strike this week, demanding action over overcrowding and safety concerns.