PVV: Packed prisons with inmates who sleep standing up beats 14-day early release
The far-right PVV has doubled down on its opposition to releasing prisoners early, instead suggesting cramming eight inmates into a single cell—even if that means they have to "sleep standing up".
Prisons minister Ingrid Coenradie, herself a PVV member, faced fierce resistance from her own party as she attempted to gain parliamentary support for her proposal to release some prisoners up to two weeks before their sentence ends. The measure is aimed at easing the severe shortage of prison cells, but PVV parliamentarian Emiel van Dijk made it clear that “this is not going to happen.”
During a heated debate in the Tweede Kamer, Van Dijk dismissed the idea of sending inmates home early and instead proposed a drastic alternative: “Put eight prisoners in a single cell. If necessary, they can sleep standing up.”
His remarks sparked outrage. JA21 MP Joost Eerdmans immediately rebuked Van Dijk, calling the suggestion an “Auschwitz method.” He pressed the PVV lawmaker: “Are you really serious? Your party is part of this cabinet. So you either back your minister or send her home.”
Van Dijk refused to back down, stating that early release undermines justice. “People were sentenced to a set number of months, not a number of months minus two weeks,” he said.
Coenradie defended her proposal, emphasizing that the prison crisis left her with limited options. “I have only two buttons to push,” she told MPs. “Either we arrest fewer people, or we send some home earlier. The first is completely unacceptable.”
She called her plan “the least bad option” and made a direct appeal for parliamentary support, stressing that all other measures had already been exhausted. “There is no secret list of alternative solutions hiding in my bag,” she said. “It’s code black in our prisons.”
Despite being from the PVV, Coenradie made it clear she opposes overcrowding cells beyond safe limits. “We are talking about spaces measuring just 10 square meters,” she said. “I refuse to treat people like garbage. They need to leave prison decently and, ideally, never return.”
Her plan would apply only to prisoners serving sentences of up to one year. Serious violent offenders and sex criminals would be excluded. The decision to release inmates early would be reviewed every two weeks, meaning that in some months, no one would be let out ahead of schedule.
The prison system is currently at 99.5 percent capacity, with a shortfall of 330 cells expected by the end of the year. Coenradie has already taken other emergency measures, including adding 100 two-person cells. However, prison officers have warned that excessive overcrowding would lead to safety risks for both guards and inmates.
When GroenLinks-PvdA MP Habtamu de Hoop challenged Van Dijk to personally inspect an overfilled cell, the PVV lawmaker refused. “I don’t work there, I don’t have to,” he said. His response was met with open laughter from correctional officers sitting in the public gallery, who fear that more prisoners per cell will lead to increased violence.
The VVD also opposed early release, arguing it would set a dangerous precedent. “First it’s two weeks, then it’s a month, then it’s two months,” warned VVD MP Ulysse Ellian. “This is unfair to victims. It’s beginning to look like bats have more rights in the Netherlands than crime victims.”
