A/HRC/42/59/Add.1 during the colonial era, which had been obscured in the museum’s permanent exhibition for most of its history. 37. The Working Group was informed that, in December 2018, the Flemish state broadcaster Vlaamse Radio – en Televisieomroeporganisatie aired a six-part series entitled “The Children of the Colony” as part of a re-evaluation by Belgium of its colonial past – not only of the notoriously brutal reign of King Leopold II from 1865 to 1909, but also of the long second act of the country’s twentieth-century rule in central Africa. 38. The Working Group notes with approval that the 2016 appeal by Métis de Belgique for State recognition was met with an apology from the Catholic Church in 2017 and a 2018 parliamentary resolution on the segregation of mixed-race people during Belgian colonization in Africa. The Working Group commends the provision of funding for data gathering, research and accountability within this framework. 39. The Working Group welcomes the fact that, on 4 April 2019, the Prime Minister, Charles Michel, on behalf of the Government of Belgium, acknowledged the targeted segregation of mixed-race people under the colonial administration of the Belgian Congo and Ruanda-Urundi up to 1962 and following decolonization, and the related policy of forced abduction. On behalf of the Government, he apologized to people born to white fathers and African mothers during Belgian colonization and to their families for the injustices and suffering. The Prime Minister expressed compassion for the African mothers whose children had been taken from them. He expressed his wish that that solemn moment would mark a further step towards raising awareness and improving knowledge of this part of the history of Belgium, and would strengthen the determination of the Belgian authorities to fight relentlessly against all forms of discrimination, racism and xenophobia. Criminal justice system and racial profiling 40. The Working Group notes that representatives of both civil society and law enforcement acknowledge the prevalence of racial profiling in policing. Counter-terrorism policies have reportedly contributed to an increase in racial profiling by law enforcement authorities. The Federal Police recognized the concern with racial profiling and offered additional information about a pilot study in Mechelen to document all stops and searches (including a narrative basis for the stop) over a two-year period and about training to prevent ethnic profiling. However, it is unclear how those initiatives may effectively target racial profiling, as the race of the community members stopped by the police is not included among the data captured. 41. According to research by human rights organizations, 10 little has been done to prevent, detect or combat ethnic profiling and to fulfil the right to non-discrimination. They state that ethnic profiling is difficult to document, particularly in Belgium, where data collection is limited, and that the lack of research and data on identity checks is hampering an adequate response to the problem. Without the police force conducting studies and analysing the issue, certain forms of discrimination may continue to be overlooked and will remain difficult to address. 42. The Working Group visited St. Gilles prison in Brussels, and found it dilapidated and overcrowded. The facility is scheduled for relocation in 2022. Frequent strikes by prison personnel dramatically affect the conditions of confinement for the people incarcerated there, with suspensions of visits, showers, phone access and recreation, and prolonged lockdowns. Detainees highlighted the lack of attention to their requests for medical attention, and there were individual reports of racist behaviour by some of the guards. The administration committed to individually counselling perpetrators and to taking a zero-tolerance approach to racism. 10 10 Amnesty International Belgium, “‘You never know with people like you’: police policies to prevent ethnic profiling in Belgium” (Brussels, 2018).