In an interview with the Francophone public broadcaster RTBF the mother of Olivier Vandecasteele, an NGO worker from West Flanders that has been held in an Iranian jail for the past 11 months, has called on the Belgian Government to do more to ensure her son’s released. On what was Olivier Vandecasteele’s 42nd birthday, his mother Annie Santy told RTBF “I would like to hold him in my arms”. The Belgian aid worker was detained by the Iranians last February. They accuse him of a number of offences, including espionage.
Mother of West Fleming imprisoned in Iran calls on the Belgian government to do more to get him released
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"This is unjust. We know for certain that he can’t be accused of anything. His work was beneficial to the country (Iran)”, Ms Santy (photo below) said.
Last February Olivier Vandecasteele was detained by the authorities in Iran. He was recently sentenced to 40 years imprisonment and 74 lashes after reportedly being found guilty of offences including espionage. However, what exactly Mr Vandecasteele has been convicted of has not been confirmed by the authorities in Tehran.
His mother Annie Santy told RTBF that "We still don’t know where he is. We do know that the conditions in which he is being held are not good. It is disappointing to hear that he has lost so much weight and that is heath is suffering because of all this”.
Ms Santy last heard from her son on Christmas Eve. "All contact is by phone via the Belgian Ambassador. A few times we have been able to see him on a video call, but this was under very stringent conditions”. The imprisoned Belgian’s mother adds that letters sent by the family to Mr Vandecasteele has been kept from him by his captors.
"The Ambassador was allowed to read two lines out to him; the introduction and the end of the letter, but the rest is being kept from Olivier”.
On Sunday a demonstration will be held in Brussels to call for Mr Vandecastele’s release.
"This is a great show of support in the face of a situation that is unjust. We hope and we believe that we can get our son released”.
Mr Santy is convinced of her son’s innocence "We know for sure that he can’t be accused of anything. His work for the NGO in Iran benefitted the people and the country. We now expect action from the (Belgian) government”.
Foreign Minister says “No prisoner exchange"
The Belgian Foreign Hadja Lahbib (Francophone liberal, photo below left) told the daily ‘L’Echo’ that the goernment faces a difficult task. "Relations with Iran are difficult. We have no influence, neither diplomatic nor economic and there is very little contact”. Ms Lahbib added that the unrest and demonstrations in Iran are not making relations between the country and Belgium any better. Belgium publicly condemned the death of Masha Amini as well as the repression and death sentences carried out by the regime in Tehran.
"It is my duty to protect our subjects abroad, but I can also not remain silent about what is happening there”, Ms Lahbib said.
The Foreign Minister added that no talks are taking place about a possible prisoner exchange.
"When I speak to my counterpart on the telephone it is not about Assadi (a convicted Iranian terrorist that is doing time in a Belgian prison), but about the fate of Olivier Vanecastele. The aim is to get him released, better conditions for him while e is in detention, ensuring that he can contact his family and to obtain greater clarity as to why he is being held”.
Treaty suspended by Constitutional Court
Initially Belgium’s Federal Government had hoped for a prisoner exchange. However, a treaty that would have facilitated this was suspended by the Constitutional Court as it was judged to be illegal.
Last Sunday the Federal Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne (Flemish liberal) told VRT News that the treaty was suspended and had not been scrapped. He added that the Federal Government would do all it could to ensure Olivier Vandecasteele’s return to Belgium.