A court in Iran has sentenced Flemish NGO worker Olivier Vandecasteele to 28 years in jail. Olivier’s sister Nathalie leant the news when she was invited to the Belgian seat of government by Premier De Croo, justice minister Van Quickenborne and foreign minister Lahbib.
The Belgian was arrested over nine months ago. It’s still unclear what exactly he has been convicted of as nobody here has been able to read the court’s verdict.
Till now the family’s hopes had been on a prisoner exchange. Justice minister Van Quickenborne (Flemish liberal) earlier OKed a treaty with Iran that would open the way for an exchange involving Assadollah Assadi, an Iranian terrorist sentenced to 20 years in jail for his part in planning a foiled attack on a rally of the Iranian opposition in Paris.
Last Thursday Belgium’s constitutional court suspended the treaty with Iran out of fears Assadi would be freed by the Iranian authorities.
The treaty’s suspension is a temporary measure ahead of a final decision expected within 3 months.
Olivier’s family says that Belgian ministers see a prisoner exchange as the only way of securing the West Fleming’s release. Concerns about his failing health mounted last month when it emerged, he was on hunger strike in protest against his poor treatment in jail.
