Oral statement at the UN Human Rights Council 60th Session in Geneva by CAP Liberté de conscience with Human Rights Without Frontiers.
HRWF (23.09.2025) – “CAP Liberté de conscience and Human Rights Without Frontiers are deeply concerned about the fact that chaplaincy activities of Jehovah’s Witnesses in a number of Belgian prisons are in practice not allowed any more.
Since 2019, Jehovah’s Witnesses have written six times to the Minister of Justice and have initiated legal proceedings due to this discrimination experienced in four Belgian prisons: Nivelles, Leuze, Dinant, and Leuven Central.
In August 2023, the General Director of the penitentiary administration issued a circular letter to stop tolerating that religions not being recognized by the State provide spiritual assistance on request of their people in prison.
In April 2022, a ruling of the European Court considered that the system of state recognition of religions in Belgium was flawed and discriminatory, not compatible with the European Convention and should be revised. This has still not happened three years later.
Until it happens, we recommend that the Belgian State be tolerant and allow Jehovah’s Witnesses in prison to be provided spiritual assistance every time they require it.” (UN Rules: Oral statements are limited to 1 minute 30)
Source: Web TV UN, HRWF, CAP Liberté de conscience
