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Netherlands

Capital city — Amsterdam

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Panorama

Living conditions

Accommodation

The law establishes a minimum standard for living space per prisoner

yes

The minimum living space per prisoner is 10m2.
Cells are equipped with a bed, a wardrobe, a table and chair, a toilet, and a sink.

Prisoners are accommodated in single cells

in some facilities

According to a 2016 report by the CPT, prisoners are usually accommodated in single cells.1 However, prison policy implemented in 2012 (facility closures, halving of the number of inmates and staff, budgetary restrictions) has led to an increase in the number of dual-occupied cells.2

In May 2022, the CPT noted that at Aruba Correctional Institution (Korrectie Instituut Aruba – KIA), dirty cells measuring 9.5 m2 held three prisoners, with sanitary areas only partially separated from the rest of the cell, insufficient artificial lighting and no call bell.
At Point Blanche Prison in Sint Maarten cells measuring 10 m2 held no more than two prisoners, as recommended by the CPT in 2014.3

  1. European Committee for the Prevention of Torture, “[Report to the Government of the Netherlands on the visit carried out from 2 to 13 May 2016]”. (https://rm.coe.int/16806ebb7c)“, p.21. ↩

  2. Van Ginneken E., Hanneke Palmen A., Nieuwbeerta P., Berghuis M., “The Life in Custody Study : The quality of prison life in Dutch prison regime”, Institute of Criminal Law and Criminology of Leiden University, 2018, p.5. ↩

  3. European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT), “Report to the Government of the Netherlands on the periodic visit carried out from 10 to 25 May 2022”, 2023, pp. 74, 119. ↩

Prisoners sleep on

in a bed

All the prisoners are provided with bedding

yes

Natural daylight, ventilation and artificial lighting are considered satisfactory, according to the 2016 CPT report.1

  1. European Committee for the Prevention of Torture, “Report to the Government of the Netherlands on the visit carried out from 2 to 13 May 2016”, p.21. ↩

The cells/dormitories are provided with electric lighting

yes

The cells/dormitories are equipped with heating and/or air conditioning

yes

Cells are equipped with heating.

Prisoners can smoke

in their cell

A non-smoker cannot be placed in the same cell as a smoker.

Inmates may decorate their cells with posters and photographs on a designated area of the wall.

Hygiene

Prisoners have access to water

in their cell

Showers are located in the cells/dormitories

in some facilities

This is the case at Krimpen aan den IJssel and Zuyder Bos.1

The psychiatric patient cells in Zwolle prison are equipped with a shared toilet block.

Cells in Scheveningen prison are equipped with a semi-partitioned sink and toilet. Each unit has showers that are accessible every day.2

  1. European Committee for the Prevention of Torture, “Report to the Government of the Netherlands on the visit carried out from 2 to 13 May 2016”, p.21. ↩

  2. European Committee for the Prevention of Torture, ibid, p.38. ↩

Types of sanitary facilities

toilets

Sanitary facilities are clean, adequate and accessible

yes

The prison service provides personal hygiene products free of charge

yes

The prison service provides cleaning products free of charge

yes

Beddings are refreshed

yes, once a week

The prison service is responsible for the provision of clothing and shoes (Article 44, paragraph 1 of the PBW). It ensures that the necessary funds are made available to meet this requirement.

All prisons are equipped with washing machines.

Staff organise the cleaning of collective areas within facilities. Inmates are assigned to these tasks. They may also be hired to complete other day-to-day tasks.

In May 2022, the CPT noted that the material conditions in the older buildings at Vught Prison were poor, citing the presence of rodents and poor ventilation. The material conditions at Aruba Correctional Institution (KIA) and Centre for Detention and Correction Curaçao (SDKK) were poor as well. Most of the prisoners were held in dirty, dilapidated cells infested with rodents. The cells were not equipped with call bells. The sanitary annexes in shared cells were poorly insulated, and many had black mould on the walls. At SDKK, the flushing mechanisms did not function as they should. There were not enough chairs, and prisoners had to store their belongings in bags or plastic boxes. In many cells, electric wiring was visible near the walls.1

  1. European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT), “Report to the Government of the Netherlands on the periodic visit carried out from 10 to 25 May 2022”, 2023, pp. 7, 41, 74, 98. ↩

Food

Drinking water is free and available in all areas of the facilities

yes

Number of meals per day

3

Food services are managed by

  • prison service
  • private companies

The French group, Sodexo, manages the food service in a number of facilities.

The prison service is required to meet nutritional standards regarding quality and quantity

yes

Prisoners complain about the poor quality and low quantity of food served by the Sodexo group.

In May 2022, the CPT noted that most prisoners complained about the quality of the food served, saying it was tasteless and portion sizes were too small. The food was frozen, provided in black plastic boxes, and prisoners had to heat the meals themselves. This was problematic for untried prisoners, who were not able to cook. Most prisoners buy and cook their own food.
Many complaints were logged from men, women, and minors at Aruba Correctional Institution (Korrectie Instituut Aruba – KIA). At Centre for Detention and Correction Curaçao (SDKK), authorities ordered the kitchen to be closed for health reasons. An outside catering service delivered the food, which often arrived cold.1

  1. European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT), “Report to the Government of the Netherlands on the periodic visit carried out from 10 to 25 May 2022”, 2023, pp. 41, 75, 99. ↩

The prison service provides food that respects special dietary needs

yes

Specific dietary requirements owing to health, religion, personal beliefs or for reasons relating to employment are met.

Prisoners eat their meals in

their cell

Prisoners can buy food products

yes

Prisoners can have access to a refrigerator

yes

Refrigerators, located in cells, are available to rent.

Prisoners are allowed to cook in their cells or in a shared space

yes

Prisoners are allowed to receive food parcels

no

Part of the prisoner's food is produced by the prison

in some facilities