EU Court Mandates Belgium to Enforce Refused Extradition Sentences

The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has ruled that Belgium must enforce prison sentences domestically when extradition is refused due to unacceptable detention conditions in the requesting EU member state. This decision stems from cases where Belgian courts denied extradition to Romania and Greece, citing potential inhuman treatment in their prisons. The CJEU emphasized that Belgium is obligated to prevent impunity by ensuring that individuals do not evade justice through non-extradition. Consequently, Belgian authorities are required to proactively seek the necessary judgments from the issuing countries and facilitate the serving of sentences within Belgium. This ruling underscores the importance of maintaining judicial cooperation and security within the EU framework.