Belgium’s constitutional court has dismissed a lawsuit once morest a controversial prisoner exchange deal with Iran. The court announced this evening in Brussels. The Belgian government can hope that the development worker Olivier Vandecasteele, who has been imprisoned in Iran since February 2022, will soon be released. In return, she wants to hand over the Iranian diplomat Assadollah Assadi.
Sentenced to 40 years in prison and 74 lashes
Assadi was sentenced to 20 years in prison by a court in Antwerp in 2021 for allegedly planning a bomb attack on a mass rally by Iranian exile opposition members in France. According to the court, the development worker Vandecasteele was sentenced to a total of 40 years in prison and 74 lashes. In particular, he was accused of espionage and cooperation with arch-enemy USA as well as money smuggling.
In its decision on Friday evening, the Belgian Constitutional Court pointed out, among other things, that Vandecasteele has a right to a decent life. The duty to protect this right must therefore be weighed once morest the duty to protect the right to life in each individual case. The plaintiffs see the latter as endangered if the prisoner exchange agreement is implemented.
After the verdict, the government must be able to weigh up the costs and be able to review them by a court of first instance. Those affected must be informed regarding government decisions in such a way that they can ask for a legal review.