The administrative court of Lille has just refused to ease the visiting conditions for Salah Abdeslam at the Vendin-le-Vieil prison in Pas-de-Calais. The inmate, sentenced to life imprisonment without parole for the November 13 attacks, had requested to receive his relatives in the visiting room without a partition. The court upheld the continued use of the intercom system, which prevents any physical contact with visitors.
The director's address is at the heart of the matter.
The prison administration has produced new evidence to justify this measure. Salah Abdeslam allegedly asked a fellow inmate to find him the address of the director of the Vendin-le-Vieil prison. The inmate's stated objective: to send "Two or three guys" in order to provoke "A catastrophe"These remarks, presented as threatening by the administration, weighed heavily in the judge's decision.
A threat that is formally contested
Salah Abdeslam denies the charges. Through his lawyer, he disputes the statements attributed to him, presenting them as false or grossly distorted. The defense maintains that the most serious evidence is based on intelligence reports and that these reports were used to prevent any easing of his detention conditions.
The previous USB key
The intercom system was reinstated in November 2025 following a case involving a USB drive containing jihadist propaganda. Salah Abdeslam's ex-partner is suspected of having given him the device while he was in detention and has been formally charged in a counter-terrorism investigation. Since this incident, the conditions of visits to the prisoner have been the subject of a legal battle between his defense team and the prison administration.
A reversal after an initial favorable decision
In April, the Lille administrative court had suspended the decision maintaining visits through intercoms, citing the right to maintain family ties. However, the judge had upheld the isolation of the inmate. The new order of June 10th changes the situation: the evidence subsequently submitted by the administration has been deemed sufficient to maintain the separation in the visiting room.
Visits always under strict control
The prison administration cites a persistent dangerousness. It also highlights the behavior of the inmate's family and friends during certain visits, with several relatives suspected of attempting to smuggle contraband into the prison. For the time being, visits with intercoms will continue, at least until July 24th.
