Belgian aid worker jailed in Iran is freed after prisoner swap deal
A Belgian humanitarian worker, who was imprisoned in Iran for over a year, has been released following a prisoner exchange facilitated by the Gulf state of Oman. Olivier Vandecasteele, the aid worker, is expected to arrive in Belgium later today, according to the foreign ministry of Belgium. In a reciprocal arrangement, an Iranian diplomat named Assadolah Assadi has been freed from Belgium and is on his way back to Iran, as confirmed by Iran's Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.
The Oman government played a crucial role in brokering this agreement. "Through Omani efforts, both parties have reached a mutual exchange deal," stated Oman's foreign ministry in an official statement.
Prime Minister Alexander De Croo of Belgium stated that Vandecasteele is currently en route to Belgium. Vandecasteele was transferred to Oman on Thursday evening, where he was received by Belgian soldiers and diplomats. He underwent medical examinations on Friday morning. De Croo expressed optimism, saying, "If everything goes as planned, he will be reunited with us tonight. Finally, he is free."
Vandecasteele had been sentenced by an Iranian court in January to 40 years in prison, 74 lashes, and a fine of $1 million, as reported by the Iranian state-aligned news agency Mizan. The charges against the 41-year-old aid worker included espionage for a foreign intelligence service and money laundering. Amnesty International, a human rights organization, denounced his detention as arbitrary, while advocates campaigning for his release claimed that his arrest was politically motivated.
The foreign ministry of Belgium stated, "After enduring 455 days of unjust imprisonment, Olivier Vandecasteele has regained his freedom. He is scheduled to arrive in Belgium tonight, following 15 months of intense and discreet diplomacy."
Assadi, the Iranian diplomat stationed in Vienna, had been sentenced to 20 years in prison by a Belgian court in 2021 for his involvement in a thwarted terrorist plot near Paris in 2018. In March, the Belgian constitutional court paved the way for Assadi's release in exchange for Vandecasteele, after dismissing an appeal seeking to halt an Iranian-Belgian prisoner exchange treaty.
Assadi was apprehended in 2018 while passing through Germany, according to Iran's state-run news agency IRNA. He was on trial alongside a Belgian-Iranian couple and an Iranian national, accused of planning a terrorist attack. The authorities had discovered 500 grams of TATP explosive material and a detonator in their vehicle in June 2018.
Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the Iranian Foreign Minister, expressed, "Mr. Assadolah Assadi, the innocent diplomat of our country, who was illegally detained against international law in Germany and Belgium for more than two years, is now returning to his homeland and will soon be back in beloved Iran."
The released individuals have been transported from Tehran and Brussels to Muscat, the capital of Oman, in preparation for their repatriation to their respective countries, as per Oman's foreign ministry.
Prime Minister De Croo commended the efforts of Belgian diplomats, security personnel, and intelligence services. "Olivier's freedom today is a result of their dedication and professionalism," he acknowledged. "We have been deeply concerned about Olivier's fate for over a year. One thing has always been clear to me: we will not abandon an innocent compatriot. In our country, we stand by our own, especially when they are innocent."
