Magistrates protest against poor working conditions

Hundreds of magistrates have taken part in a protest in front of the Justice Palace in Brussels against a justice system that they say has completely deteriorated.

Joined by solicitors and other figures from the justice system, they denounced underfunding, a lack of personnel, overcrowded prisons and crumbling infrastructure.

“The judiciary is one of the pillars of our democracy, but the problem is that we are allowing it to completely deteriorate,” said Denis Goeman, judge at the French-speaking court of first instance in Brussels.

"The buildings speak for themselves: water flowing through the Justice Palace, crumbling walls, rats gnawing on files.

"Prisoners in Brussels do not always arrive at their destination on time. The enforcement of sentences also falls short. Many sentences in criminal cases are simply never enforced, simply because of a lack of resources."

Goeman and protestors say court buildings are severely outdated, prisons are overcrowded and that there is an urgent need for staff to clear the backlog of court cases.

“We talk constantly about drug trafficking – especially in Brussels, with its many shootings – but if we really want to tackle this problem, we need to invest in every link in the chain,” said Goeman.

The magistrates want more than just a refinancing of the justice system, according to Evelien de Kezel, a judge at the Brussels Court of Appeal.

“We want the justice system to be humane, transparent and people-friendly,” de Kezel said.

“We need to communicate more clearly and be closer to people. The justice minister has promised meal vouchers and better security at the courthouses, but that's just peanuts. In the meantime, we're banging our heads against a brick wall.”

Solicitor Alexis Deswaef described working conditions at the Justice Palace as inhumane.

“In our daily work as solicitors, we see how magistrates have to function in virtually impossible, even inhumane conditions,” Deswaef said.

“This is a structural, long-standing underfunding that weakens the judiciary and the magistrates.”

The working conditions at the Justice Palace have been poor enough to make headlines recently, including for a failed health inspection at the staff canteen.

The canteen will be closed for at least two weeks following "serious breaches" of European food hygiene regulations.

A thorough clean will be carried out in the coming days and the manager has been instructed to bring the dining area into compliance with food safety requirements as soon as possible.

“A thorough cleaning will follow to ensure that the site is once again in compliance with the applicable standards,” reads an email sent internally by the management committee.

“We are monitoring the situation closely and will reconsider the options as soon as possible.”

The management committee said the decision was not taken lightly: “For many, the restaurant is more than just a place to eat. It’s also a place to meet and relax. However, everyone's health remains our top priority, and this decision was necessary.”

The Justice Palace has been undergoing renovations for some time and much of it remains in poor condition.

At the end of September, staff complained about the lack of maintenance of the premises and poor working conditions. In August, the roof of a courtroom collapsed and a water leak was discovered one floor below. A leak was also detected in July, but no action was taken.

This situation is the subject of an open letter recently distributed by justice ministry employees.

“Court buildings are outdated, sometimes downright unworthy. Hearings are cancelled due to power failures, and victims and defendants sometimes wait months or years for a verdict,” the letter reads.

Staff are urgently calling for "an end to the neglect".