Belgian court grants temporary prison leaves to Mohamed Bakkali

A Belgian court has granted multiple temporary prison leaves to Mohamed Bakkali, a man convicted for his central logistical role in the November 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris. The decision, which allows Bakkali to leave a maximum-security prison for six periods of up to 36 hours each, has sparked significant political and public outcry in both Belgium and France.

Bakkali, a 39-year-old Belgian-Moroccan national, is serving a 30-year sentence in Belgium's Ittre prison following his extradition from France. He was sentenced in France in 2022 for helping coordinate the Paris attacks, which killed 130 people and injured hundreds more. He also received a 25-year sentence in Belgium for his involvement in planning a foiled attack on a Thalys train in August 2015. Under an extradition agreement, he is serving his combined sentence in Belgium.

The Brussels Sentence Enforcement Court approved the temporary leaves on May 11, 2026, despite opposition from the public prosecution service, which had issued a negative recommendation. Officials stated the prosecution has no right to appeal, making the decision final. According to court documents and a source close to the case, the decision...