Belgium: 45% of prisoners are foreign nationals, with Moroccans among the most numerous

As of January 1, 2026, Belgian prisons held 13,439 inmates. Of these, 6,100 were foreign nationals, representing approximately 45% of the prison population. This proportion has remained stable for several years.

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Morocco, Algeria, the Netherlands, Romania and Albania are the most represented foreign nationalities. However, the figures provided by Belgian Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden do not make it possible to establish a precise ranking among these countries.

Among all incarcerated individuals, 4,198 did not have a residence permit in Belgium. They accounted for 31% of the total prison population, reports Belga.

Fewer possibilities for serving a sentence outside prison

According to criminologist Sonja Snacken, the high presence of foreign nationals does not necessarily mean that they commit more offences. It is mainly explained by the way sentences are carried out.

A person without a residence permit or a stable address is more likely to be placed in pretrial detention. After being convicted, they also have fewer possibilities for serving their sentence outside prison.

For comparable offences, a Belgian prisoner may sometimes benefit from house arrest or another measure requiring a known residence. According to the expert, this difference contributes to keeping more foreign nationals behind bars.

The return of prisoners in an irregular situation also remains complex. The identity or nationality of some of them has not been established, while removals may fail due to a lack of cooperation from the country concerned.

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Judges may finally require guarantees before releasing someone with a view to their return, including the existence of a place of residence in the destination country and the absence of a security risk.