The court also sentenced him to 12.5 years in prison for “cooperation with a hostile government, the United States, once morest the Islamic Republic of Iran“, added the same source. He was further sentenced to 2.5 years imprisonment and 74 lashes for”professional smuggling of currency in the amount of $500,000“, and at 12.5 years old”for money laundering“, according to Mizan Online. This verdict”is preliminary and can be challenged before the Court of Appeal within 20 days“, specified the agency.
Last week, Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib indicated that, for Belgium, Olivier Vandecasteele is innocent and must be released.
The Belgian’s fate seems to be linked to that of Assadollah Assadi, an Iranian agent convicted in Belgium for a planned attack once morest the Iranian opposition planned in France. Belgium had negotiated a treaty with Iran to allow the exchange of prisoners between the two countries, but the Constitutional Court suspended this treaty last month.
