The Belgian humanitarian who was sentenced to 40 in prison and 74 lashes by the Islamic State, is not about to be released by Iran. The solution for the Belgian state is a prisoner exchange, which Iran wants in favor of Assadollah Assadi.
Ingrid Betancourt, however, believes that Olivier Vandecasteele should not be exchanged with Assadollah Assadi. “He’s a terrorist. He will continue to kill people,” she insists, preferring to find other issues to negotiate with Iran.
“The Belgian government cannot blame Belgian justice for finding a solution to this file. It’s loose limit”, she supports. The former Colombian senator criticizes the Belgian government for not assuming its responsibilities by letting Parliament, then justice, manage the agreement with Iran. Indeed, the Belgian government had concluded in March 2022 with Iran an agreement on the transfer of prisoners, validated by the Belgian deputies. But last December, the Belgian Constitutional Court suspended the text.
“We have to bring back Olivier Vandecasteele. It is an obligation of the Belgian government, but also of European governments”, she presses afterwards. “We have, in fact, the moral obligation to bring him home”.
Conviction of Olivier Vandecasteele: Hadja Lahbib summons the Iranian ambassador