28.2 C
Accra
Friday, March 14, 2025
WorldIran serves Belgian aid worker a 28 years prison sentence

Date:

Iran serves Belgian aid worker a 28 years prison sentence

“At the end of November we learned he would be sentenced in Iran to a prison term of 28 years for a series of fabricated crimes,” justice minister Vincent Van Quickenborne told parliament.

Vandecasteele was arrested in February and is reportedly being held in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison, in conditions Van Quickenborne described as “inhumane”.

Belgium insists he is innocent, effectively held as a hostage in Tehran’s efforts to force Belgium to release an Iranian agent convicted of terrorism.

Prisoner exchange programme

The justice minister told the Belgian parliament’s justice committee, “Mr. Vandecasteele’s arrest is a direct consequence of the condemnation of the [Iranian] diplomat by our country.

“Since the arrest of this person … the threat emanating from Iran has greatly increased,” he added.

News of Vandecasteele’s sentence, which has not been publicly confirmed by Iranian authorities, has revived debate in Belgium over a prisoner exchange treaty with Iran.

In the past, Prime Minister Alexander De Croo’s government has described this as the only option for a transfer.

The treaty was signed with Iran earlier this year and, while not tailored explicitly for Vandecasteele, the justice minister confirmed that he would have been eligible for exchange.

But last week, Belgium’s constitutional court suspended the implementation of treaty pending a final ruling on its legality within the next three months.

Family ‘devastated’

A spokesman for Vandecasteele’s family has said they are devastated by the sentence, underlining “There’s no Plan B.”

“If there’s no solution he could stay in prison until 2050. He’ll be almost 70,” he said, urging Belgium to find a way to revive the prisoner exchange treaty.

No details on the charges against Vandecasteele have been given by the Iranian authorities.

Meanwhile, some Belgian opposition MPs and foreign policy experts have warned that the prisoner exchange treaty would only increase the threat posed by rogue regimes seeking to kidnap Belgian citizens as collateral.

However, the Belgian government has no other option on how to free the aid worker.

 

[forminator_poll id="710479"]

Latest stories

Over 1,000 Northern School of Business SHS students affected after windstorm attack

A fierce windstorm on Wednesday night has affected over...

3 Ghanaians to be deported from US in March, April – Ablakwa

Three Ghanaians in the United States are set to...

100 deportation cases involving Ghanaians either under appeal or dismissed – Ablakwa

Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has disclosed that...

Over 17,000 MoMo businesses collapsed due to E-levy – MoMo Agents Association

General Secretary of the Mobile Money Agents Association of...

50 Ghanaians set to be deported from US mid-2025 – Foreign Minister

Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has disclosed that...

150 Ghanaians in US detention centres awaiting deportation – Ablakwa

Update from Washington Mission indicates that there are currently...

Passport application fees reduced from GHS500 to GHS350 – Ablakwa

Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has announced a...

Related stories