{"id":5121,"date":"2023-11-02T10:34:19","date_gmt":"2023-11-02T09:34:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/movecoalition.be\/?post_type=temoignage&p=5121"},"modified":"2024-01-15T15:59:55","modified_gmt":"2024-01-15T14:59:55","slug":"my-detention-in-belgium-was-psychological-torture","status":"publish","type":"temoignage","link":"https:\/\/movecoalition.be\/en\/temoignage\/my-detention-in-belgium-was-psychological-torture\/","title":{"rendered":"“My detention in Belgium was psychological torture”"},"content":{"rendered":"

Documentary maker Greg Constantine<\/a> interviewed a Congolese refugee, who was detained in Belgium for more than 5 months. \u201cTo be treated like a criminal here in Europe\u2026 I didn\u2019t expect it at all.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI left DRC because I worked for a human rights organization. At home, I was detained three times. The first time was for three months. I was tortured.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I arrived here in Belgium, I immediately knew I could ask for asylum, so I did.\u00a0 And then they immediately put me in detention. I never ever thought I would be put in a prison. It\u2019s a prison. It\u2019s not a detention center. I was in Caricole for two weeks and then in 127Bis for almost five months.\u201d<\/p>\n

“The judge said there was no reason for me to be incarcerated”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cI had no idea how long I would be in detention. The reason why I got out after 5 months was because a judge annulled the negative decision.\u00a0 The judge said there was no reason for me to be incarcerated, that I should be free to work on my asylum claim out of detention.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI asked myself, Why was I detained? I lost time!\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t right. It\u2019s not normal. There are people I know who have been detained for nine months or even a year.\u00a0 There\u2019s no answer!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDetention in Congo was physical torture. But what happens in Belgium, I did not expect. Detention here was psychological torture. To be treated like a criminal here in Europe\u2026I didn\u2019t expect it at all.\u201d<\/p>\n