The Brussels Labour Court has ordered the Belgian state and Fedasil, the federal agency that is responsible for providing board and lodging to asylum seekers, to guarantee decent living conditions for the asylum seekers squatting in a building in the Wetstraat, Belgium’s political nerve centre.
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Asylum seekers squatting on the Wetstraat win court case against asylum agency and Belgian State
Colin Clapson
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Since 23 April, eighty asylum seekers have been occupying a building next to the headquarters of the governing Flemish Christian democrats in the Wetstraat in Brussels. They have been unable to get a place in a Fedasil centre even though they are legally entitled. By law, Belgium is obliged to offer asylum seekers protection from the moment they apply, but for months now the government has failed to do so.
The Brussels Labour Court on Tuesday ordered the Belgian State and Fedasil to "ensure (...) provision of showers in the vicinity of the building located at Wetstraat 91 on a daily basis, the provision of clothing, blankets, sheets, mattresses, the daily provision of three meals a day, urgent medical assistance and emergency medical care for the above-mentioned applicants for international protection who show signs of scabies, physical and/or psychological suffering".
The Belgian state and Fedasil are obliged to "pay a penalty of 100 euros per day per asylum seeker if this specific order is not complied with within three days of its delivery".