Amnesty International said Belgian authorities continue to deny that thousands of people seeking asylum, forcing them to be homeless and violate international obligations under EU and Belgian laws.
In the new report”No doubt and unheard of: How Belgium continues to fail to violate the rights of asylum seekers”Amnesty International records how Belgium’s actions since October 2021 affect the lives, dignity and human rights of people seeking asylum. It reveals discrimination against racialized singles and how authorities fail to comply with international obligations and comply with court orders and sets worrying precedents.
Since 2021, when Belgium’s asylum applications increased in the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic, authorities have been unable to adapt the reception system to the needs of new situations, including increasing the number of available reception desks. During this period, authorities largely denied receiving racialized single men seeking asylum. Currently, more than 2,500 people are on the reception waiting list.
To date, the State and International Court of Justice have ordered the Belgian authorities to provide more than 12,000 receptions. Belgium has always refused to fully comply with these judgments, although they are ultimate and legally binding.
In 2025, Belgium’s new federal government boasted that it would adopt “the strictest immigration policy.” Amnesty International is concerned that the new government’s plans could further exacerbate the situation for people seeking asylum.
“What Belgium failed to provide reception is not a lack of resources, but a lack of political will,” said Eva Davidova, Belgian spokesman for Amnesty International.
“The last government had enough time to resolve the situation of homelessness and did not do so. The current government is more concerned about reducing the number of people receiving asylum rather than addressing the real harm caused to those seeking asylum. Currently seeking asylum. Belgium’s ongoing responsibility to the courts makes the scope of the campaign particularly clear, which makes more and more people comply with the campaigners, which makes people’s rights to themselves, which makes people’s rights to themselves, which makes MARG’s rights toward more and more, which makes MARG’s rights to form the scope of Marg, which makes MARG’s rights to form the scope of Marg, which makes Marg’s rights to extend the scope of the people, which is during this period, which makes Marg’s rights to the scope of the people within the scope of the MARG, and Marg’s actions will make Marg’s rights to continue like those affected by this situation.”
The report is based on research conducted by Amnesty International between October 2024 and January 2025, including interviews with people seeking asylum who experienced homelessness in Belgium between 2021 and 2024. Additional interviews were conducted with immigration lawyers and representatives of civil society organizations.
Poor living conditions and barriers to accessing health care
People seeking shelter from denied accommodation are often homeless, living in the streets and squats. They face many barriers to accessing health care, which further deteriorates their situation.
Sayed is a young man from Afghanistan, in the infamousHouse of Rights” From October 2022 to January 2023, squats in Brussels. “It was good enough at first, with toilets and showers, and some people brought food in the afternoon. But slowly, it completely turned into a cemetery. The showers and toilets were broken and over time, my time… urinated is where you sleep.”
Ahmet and Baraa, both Palestinian men fleeing Gaza, arrived in Belgium in September 2024. Ahmet described the lack of hot water, mattress or blanket in the squat: “It’s cold. […] You may starve to death, no one will know. No one will help you. “The two experienced huge personal losses in Palestine. My mom was seriously injured, and my siblings were seriously injured. I was thinking about their shoes: I just need to survive.”
Civil society organizations and volunteers demonstrated admirable empathy and solidarity to those affected, stepping in to provide emergency relief, but their resources are limited and they should not be expected to make up for the state’s failures.
“People feel our pain, but there are no authorities,” said the
The impact of long-term homelessness
Lack of reception can also profoundly impact people’s future prospects in Belgium, thus limiting their access to the labour market or education. Respondents stressed that they were not allowed to work due to the lack of a fixed address.
Baraa, a man from Gaza [my] The stomach just lives like an ordinary person. We lived our lives in Gaza, but we just lacked the security and security there, which is why we left. That’s why we’re here: find a safe place. ”
“This report should be a wake-up call for the Belgian government and the EU. Belgium is actively manufacturing a homelessness crisis which is bound to have a lasting adverse impact on people’s lives and dignity, while civil society is left to pick up the pieces. Without urgent intervention, this crisis will deepen, further violent asylum seekers’ rights and eroding both the country’s and the EU’s commitment to human rights,” Eva Davidova said.
Both Belgium and the EU must take any excuses
Amnesty International urges the Belgian government to provide sufficient reception facilities immediately and ensure that all asylum seekers receive adequate housing. They must ensure that people have access to appropriate medical care, including dedicated psychological support, regardless of their housing status. The Belgian authorities must also activate the “decentralized plan” outlined in domestic law and implement contingency plans to manage fluctuations in the number of asylum applications.
Meanwhile, the organization called on the Belgian government to provide financial and logistical support to asylum seekers to ensure they can continue to make up for the important work of the state’s inaction.
The European Commission should ensure that Belgium resumes compliance with the acceptance of the conditions directive, including initiating infringement proceedings if necessary. The failure of Belgium to provide reception is an isolated issue, but a test of the EU’s commitment to safeguarding fundamental human rights.
background
Despite Belgium’s ongoing refusal to respect the human rights of those seeking asylum, it has been condemned by Amnesty International since 2021, the new publication highlights its human impact.
