Belgian NGO worker Olivier Vandecasteele, who has been detained in Iran for almost 14 months now, has been transferred to the Evin Prison. His condition seems to be going from bad to worse, his family reports. Relatives hope that the prisoner exchange treaty with Belgium, which officially becomes operational today, will now produce quick results.
Things are not going well for Olivier Vandecasteele. The Belgian NGO worker was detained by the Iranian authorities on 24 February last year and he has been imprisoned there ever since. He was recently sentenced to 40 years in prison as well as 74 lashes for "espionage", without access to lawyers of his choice and after what has been called an unfair trial. Vandecasteele has been detained at an unknown location since August last year, but 10 days ago he was transferred to Tehran's Evin prison.
"He really is doing very badly," says Olivier Van Steirtegem, his family's spokesman. Olivier was recently able to talk to him for 10 minutes. "Psychologically it is very difficult, after almost 14 months in isolation. Moreover, he has excruciating muscle and nerve pains in his legs. He cannot stand up straight and can hardly sleep. But we do not know what is really going on because he is not being treated and we are not getting more information."
According to his family, he is not getting enough food to keep him healthy either.
Treaty
The family points out that a legal instrument allows Olivier Vandecasteele to be repatriated: prisoner exchange treaty between Belgium and Iran that parliament approved and the Constitutional Court ratified. That treaty becomes operational today. but family and friends are upset that no date has yet been set for his return.
"Perhaps our country will send an official message to Iran today, but that is only a first step," Van Steirtegem believes. "We have no confirmation of a timeframe or schedule at all. We really need to become more effective."
"Olivier's energy is completely spent. He cannot remain the plaything of talks between two countries. His life is at stake: the lack of concrete action and quick results could put Olivier in an irreversible situation."
Evin, the prison called "the university"
Evin Prison is located in the northwest of the Iranian capital Tehran. It has existed since 1972 and over the years has grown into a large cell complex for 15,000 people.
The prison is known as the place where the regime locks up political prisoners and critical students and intellectuals. It is therefore sometimes cynically called "the Evin University".
Reports of serious human rights violations and physical and psychological torture abound. There are also numerous stories about the systematic rape of female detainees. Confessions of tortured prisoners are broadcast on state television.
