The Court on Friday rejected the action for annulment brought by the NCRI once morest a treaty for the transfer of sentenced persons concluded between Belgium and Iran. In doing so, it opens the door to the return to Belgium of humanitarian worker Olivier Vandecasteele, detained in the Islamic Republic for more than a year, in exchange for the transfer to Tehran of Assadolah Assadi, an Iranian diplomat sentenced in Belgium for a project of terrorist attack once morest a gathering of the Iranian opposition in exile.
The Constitutional Court rejects the appeal for annulment of the transfer treaty with Iran, a hope for Olivier Vandecasteele
However, the Constitutional Court laid down a condition: in order to guarantee the right to life of the victims of the planned attack, the Belgian authorities will have to inform them of the transfer of the terrorist in order to allow them to bring the case before a court if they do so. wish.
Why is it so difficult to release Olivier Vandecasteele? Here is the story of the treaty at the heart of the case
“The Belgian Constitutional Court opposed the unconditional release of terrorist diplomat Assadolah Assadi and ordered the government to inform victims and complainants in advance whether it intends to transfer Assadi, and they can bring the case before the court of first instance”, analyzes the NCRI.
“Therefore, although (the Court) did not annul the transfer agreement between the two countries, (it) gave the plaintiffs the right to return to court,” he adds.
Who is Assadollah Assadi, presented by Tehran as “a valuable diplomat” but condemned in Belgium for terrorism?
“The National Council of Resistance and the plaintiffs will use this right to prevent the release of this terrorist,” he warned.
In his eyes, Assadi’s release “is a violation of UN Security Council resolution 1373 once morest terrorism and encourages the mullahs’ regime to continue and intensify hostage-taking and terrorism”.