Irandeal Vandecasteele: N-VA surprised by Constitutional Court ruling

The Iran deal could be important for the release of Oliver Vandecasteele, the Belgian aid worker who has been held in an Iranian cell for more than a year. In exchange for his release, Belgium could transfer Iranian dummy diplomat Assadolah Assadi to Iran. In 2021, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison in our country for his role in a – foiled – terrorist attack in Paris.

Freeing a terrorist is unacceptable

In December, the Court suspended part of the Iran deal to prevent Assadi’s transfer. According to the Court, if the Iranian authorities release the man, it would violate the right to life of those who escaped the planned attack. De Roover refers to the temporary suspension of the law. “After such strict wording in the suspension, the annulment of this law seemed obvious to us, but to our surprise, the Constitutional Court has now given the green light,” he says. “Of course, the ruling must be respected in all parts, including where a procedure for first instance is called necessary in surrender.” However, according to the N-VA parliamentary group chairman, the fact that the law is not nullified does not mean that it would be “politically or morally acceptable to release a convicted terrorist, partly because the fate of compatriots in the jeopardizes”.

Victims of Iranian terrorist must be informed

MPs Goedele Liekens and Jasper Pillen (Open Vld) are cautiously positive about the judgment. “We will only be satisfied when Olivier sets foot on Belgian soil,” they say. “Our country must now do everything in its power in the coming days and weeks to get Olivier out of Iran so that the agony that has been going on for a year will come to an end.” In the judgment, the Court rejected the appeal against the law approving the Iran deal. In doing so, the Court also noted that victims of a convicted person must be informed of his transfer, so that a court can review its legality.