This website provides information on the Jesuit Refugee Service - Belgium (JRS-Belgium) and a brief presentation on the history, the projects and partners of the Belgian branch of JRS-International.
If you wish to support or contact JRS-Belgium, you can send an e-mail to our Brussels headquarters via this site.
Finally, you will also find several useful links to other websites on asylum and migration issues.

Alternatives to the detention of asylum seekers

For the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Geneva Convention, JRS-Belgium published in collaboration with UNHCR and other NGO's a booklet about alternatives to the detention of asylum seekers in Belgium.

 Alternatives to detention

20 October: 10th anniversary of JRS-Belgium and 30th anniversary of JRS-International

For the occasion of both anniversaries, JRS-Belgium invites its sympathizers to the screening of the movie "Illégal", followed by a debate about the detention of foreigners.Invitation.

Radio broadcast on detention centres

To listen to the broadcast, clic here.

Asserting rights in closed centres

This is the title of the report that was published by JRS-Belgium and a number of other organisations in November 2008. The report examines the legal aid in the detention centres and makes 50 recommendations for the Aliens' Board, the centre staff, and the lawyers, in order to improve the access to legal aid in the detention centres.

You can click here to read the complete report in French.

Click here to read the summary in French.

Belgium condemned by European Court of Human Rights

In its arrest of 24 January 2008, the European Court of Human Rights condemns Belgium for having placed two Palestinians in the transit zone of Brussels airport, although several tribunals had ordered to release them. In 2003, JRS-Belgium gave a financial support to make this appeal possible.

You can read the press release from the NGO's who supported the appeal here.

To read the full text of the arrest, click here.

Belgian State indicted for detention of children in closed centres

On the initiative of a group Belgian citizens, an opinion's court will be installed. On 17 and 18 January 2008, the Belgian State will appear in this court for the detention of children in closed centres for foreigners. The judgement will be pronounced on 19 January 2008. The session is open for the public. For more information, click here or read the website http://www.dei-belgique.be/index.php. This initiative is supported by JRS-Belgium.