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Belgian assist employee Olivier Vandecasteele has been launched from an Iranian cell. Belgium and Iran have reached an settlement on a prisoner change, the Belgian authorities reviews to the Flemish public broadcaster VRT.
The settlement was reached after mediation by Oman. Vandecasteele is on his solution to Belgium.
In February final 12 months, Vandecasteele was arrested and at the start of this 12 months he was sentenced to 40 years in jail and 74 lashes. The help employee was convicted of espionage, colluding with america in opposition to Iran, cash smuggling and cash laundering.
The Belgian authorities spoke of a mock trial, and Vandecasteele has all the time denied the allegations. Vandecasteele labored for the humanitarian non-profit group Aid Worldwide.
Vandecasteele was transferred to Oman final night time, the place he was acquired by Belgian troopers and diplomats, Prime Minister De Croo reviews.
Swap with terrorist
Het Nieuwsblad reviews that the Belgian has been exchanged for the Iranian terrorist Assadollah Assadi, who acquired a twenty-year jail sentence in Belgium in 2021 for involvement in a thwarted assault on a gathering of an Iranian opposition group. The VRT says that it’s not but clear with whom the Belgian has been exchanged.
The Constitutional Court docket in Belgium accepted a treaty in March that makes the change potential, after which Iran stated it was open to the change. “After that all the pieces accelerated,” writes the Nieuwsblad.
‘Aid for household’
“His return is a reduction for his household, buddies and colleagues,” says De Croo. “I additionally need to pay tribute right here, personally and on behalf of the complete authorities, to the braveness and energy of his household.”
