Family concerned about NGO worker who has been in Iranian cell for 5 months

The West Flemish family of Olivier Vandecasteele places an appeal on their facebook to ask for support for his release. “137 days ago, Olivier was arrested in Iran and imprisoned in the EVIN prison in Tehran. Although he is innocent, he has been languishing in complete isolation in a cell for almost five months,” says his sister Nathalie.

According to his sister, he lives in inhumane conditions. “The first two months he slept on the floor, without a mattress, with the light on almost 24 hours a day. He is questioned daily. He has also lost a lot of weight and has a foot infection.”

no motive

Olivier Vandecasteele was arrested in Iran in the night of 24 to 25 February. Little is known about the motive. The case immediately brings to mind the Swedish-Iranian professor Ahmadreza Djalali. The guest lecturer at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel has been in prison in Iran for eight years. He was arrested on suspicion of espionage and sentenced to death.

Vandecasteele has been committed to helping others all his life. He traveled to Afghanistan and Mali with Werelddokters. In Iran he has been active for years as humanitarian assistant for various NGOs. “Today Olivier needs your support,” it sounds in a video message from his family.

#FreeOlivierVandecasteele

Under the hashtag #FreeOlivierVandecasteele, the family wants to call on people to make a petition to sign. “It is inconceivable that our country does not do everything it can to get him out of prison,” says his sister Nathalie.

Olivier’s mom also calls out: “Now help us bring him home so we can hold him in our arms.”

The petition has already been signed by more than 4,000 people.

Prisoner Swap

On Thursday, the plenary Chamber will rule on the draft law that makes it possible for Belgium and Iran to extradite prisoners to each other. The deal dates from March 11 and was approved by the House Foreign Relations Committee last Wednesday.

The Tehran prison is said to be working for the release of Iranian diplomat Assadollah Assadi, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison in our country last year for his involvement in a thwarted bomb attack in Paris. The Belgian government is pushing for the release of Olivier Vandecasteele.