2023-05-30 04:39:00
Imprisoned in inhumane conditions for 455 days, the Belgian humanitarian “was really in a state (of health) difficult and we knew that there was no longer much patience on the other side”, he justified. Using the transfer procedure would have created “danger for Olivier, because we would have needed weeks of debate”according to team leader Vivaldi (MR, Open VLD, PS, Vooruit, CD&V, Ecolo and Groen).
But then, why not have decided earlier to activate article 167 (which entrusts the executive with the conduct of Belgium’s external relations) to get Assadi out of his cell and transfer him in exchange for Vandecasteele? “We wanted to follow a parliamentary procedure, do it within the framework of the law and in a democratic way. The debate in Parliament was not easy, but there was a majority to use this transfer agreement.”
The “rituals” that allowed Olivier Vandecasteele to survive in his cell
This path, transparent and in accordance with the rule of law, would however have taken many more months. By validating this device, the Constitutional Court had imposed, in its judgment, that a decision to transfer Assadi be first served on the Iranian opposition in exile (NCRI, targeted by the planned attack in Villepinte, France ), civil party in the file. This one would have in fact started appeals to avoid the repatriation of the Iranian diplomat.
“No one explained to me how…”
“It’s a very, very, very difficult dilemma, but at some point, I made up my mind: you don’t abandon a Belgian, an innocent person. I’ve heard a lot of people say ‘we have to free Olivier’, but no one explained to me how”, added Alexander De Croo. He assured that he had no regrets, “but we will do the analysis in the weeks and months to come”.
Many gray areas still surround the operation called Blackstone. After the relief of having recovered the hostage, the government will no doubt be subjected to a barrage of questions in the House. Especially since following the efforts made by the De Croo team to obtain the release of Olivier Vandecasteele from Iran, the relatives of other Belgians detained abroad remember the executive well.
The parents of Tanguy Taller, a resident of Bruges imprisoned in Cambodia for four years, are calling for help. They proclaim the innocence of their son sentenced to life imprisonment for drug trafficking, following a mock trial. He lives in the same degrading conditions of detention as Olivier Vandecasteele, they still say. A file among 450 to 500 other Belgians imprisoned abroad who are currently managed by Foreign Affairs, according to a count of the SPF Justice.
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