Olivier Vandecasteele: Prime Minister De Croo calls Iranian president

The prime minister asked the Iranian president to immediately release the West Flemish NGO employee.

“Telephone conversation with Iranian President Ebrahim Raïssi,” the prime minister writes on Twitter. “My message was very clear: Olivier Vandecasteele is innocent and must be released immediately. In the meantime, his degrading detention conditions must improve.”

One year in Iranian jail

Vandecasteele has been in an Iranian cell for one year. He was arrested in his apartment on February 24, 2022 and was sentenced by the Iranian court to 40 years in prison and 74 lashes for espionage, among other things.

Belgium is trying to get his release. A treaty with Iran on the transfer of prisoners has been suspended by the Constitutional Court. The verdict on the merits is expected within a few days, in principle on March 8.

Telephone conversation with Iranian President Ebrahim Raissi.

My message was very clear: Olivier Vandecasteele is innocent and must be released immediately.

In the meantime, his degrading detention conditions must improve.

— Alexander De Croo (@alexanderdecroo) March 1, 2023