Vandecasteele (42) “fairly positive” when he returns home: “Euphoria now dominates, then the setback follows”, says crisis psychologist | Olivier Vandecasteele released

UpdateOlivier Vandecasteele, the Belgian NGO employee who had been imprisoned in Iran since February 26 last year, has been back in Belgium since yesterday evening. After 455 days in an Iranian cell, he finally embraced his family. “Now a second battle begins,” the family responded in a statement. This morning, Vandecasteele’s friends and lawyers held a press conference, which they concluded on a cheerful note: “He already drank a beer last night.” He would be emaciated, but mentally and physically in reasonably good shape.

This article is constantly updated.

LOOK. “Olivier himself did not know in the morning that he would be home in the evening”

In a written statement, Vandecasteele’s family and friends thanked the government, lawyers and others who helped them. “It is with immense relief that we are reunited with Olivier. We are very grateful to the general public for the great support over the past few months,” it sounds. For Vandecasteele, a second battle now begins, they also say, “namely rebuilding what was destroyed during the 14 months of solitary confinement, fear, deprivation and insomnia”.

LOOK. Journalist Julie Colpaert was present at the press conference: “Friends had one message above all: thank everyone”

During the press conference, Vandecasteele’s best friend, Olivier Van Steirtegem, was the first to speak. “Olivier appeared smiling and was clearly moved,” said Van Steirtegem about his return. Both Vandecasteele and his family were not present during the press conference. “Only Olivier will decide when is the right time to share his experience, if he wants to” , it sounded. “Democracy belongs to all of us. We must cherish it and not just criticize it,” he concluded. He also thanked Vandecasteele’s sister extensively. “Thanks to Nathalie for your strength, courage and commitment.”

He also called Vandecasteele “a strong man”. “He knew from the start that he would be released one day,” said his best friend.

LOOK. Vandecasteele’s best friend: “Free after 455 days of Iranian captivity”

Marie Van Reet, also a friend, expressed great gratitude to the entire population. “We want to thank everyone from the bottom of our hearts. We felt discouraged at times, but never alone. The support of the entire population was enormous, so thank you for your support,” said Van Reet. “Thanks to this fight, we really continue to believe in humanity. And unity is strength.”

LOOK. Friends and family are grateful to the population for the enormous support: “We felt discouraged at times, but never alone”

Vandecasteele was only informed “quite late” of what was to come. When he was taken from his cell early yesterday morning, he first suspected that he would be transferred to another prison. “Only at the airport did he understand that he was going to fly out of the country.” When Vandecasteele was surrounded by the Belgian delegation in Oman, it dawned on him that he was free and would return home.

Olivier Vandecasteele is his Belgium by no means lost, according to his friends. “When Olivier arrived in Belgium, he said he was very thirsty,” said Mouna Ferdi, one of his friends. “Yes, we had a beer,” added Van Steirtegem with a smile. “That proves he is Belgium is not lost. It is only a small thing, but it gave us great pleasure.”

Health condition

He lived in appalling conditions in the Iranian cell for more than a year. In the notorious Evin prison in Tehran, the NGO worker was not given enough food to maintain his health, the family said after a conversation with Vandecasteele in April. He was also known to have an infection on his foot and dental problems.

Before departure on Friday morning, he was checked by a medical team – including a psychologist – who had traveled from Belgium. He would have lost about thirty kilograms, said his best friend during the press conference. Physical and mental check-ups will follow in the coming weeks.

The photo that Prime Minister Alexander De Croo distributed yesterday already gave hope for the best. Vandecasteele may have visibly lost weight, but literally and figuratively straightened her back in a soft pink shirt with a dark suit. It was a deliberate move by the government to send a photographer along. In this way she could let the whole world know that Vandecasteele really is a free man who can hug his family again.

Olivier Vandecasteele on the plane that brought him back to our country. ©Twitter

Van Steirtegem said Vandecasteele is mentally “quite positive”. “He was super enthusiastic, happy and had a sense of humour.” According to crisis psychologist Erik De Soir, however, it will take a long time before he is mentally recovered. “The euphoria dominates now, but then the backlash follows,” he says. “Then the damage that is incurred in these kinds of circumstances gradually becomes apparent. The more the detention conditions differ from the conditions you were used to, the greater the adjustment and the longer it will take.”

“In hindsight you realize what you escaped and a whole mental processing follows that swings back and forth between reliving those terrible moments you experienced and trying to deny the impact it had. And I notice that in many cases most problems do not start to manifest until six months after the return.”


You can never forget that, but there are opportunities to learn to give it a place

Erik De Soir, Crisis Psychologist

Returning home from a low-stimulus environment, where everyone wants to hear their story, can be intense. “A lot comes at you at such a moment,” explains De Soir. “The build-up of normal activities must be done gradually, otherwise it will be too much. A head can’t handle that.”

There is a good chance that Vandecasteele will have mental injuries, according to the psychologist. He is hopeful though. “People recover from it. You can never forget that, but in the end there are possibilities to learn to give a place to the images, the experiences, the emotions and the perceived threats. But this takes time.”

Prisoner exchange

Vandecasteele’s release was possible because of the prisoner exchange with terrorist Assadolah Assadi. This was confirmed by the Iranian foreign minister. However, according to Minister of Justice Vincent Van Quickenborne (Open Vld), there was no other option. The Belgian was convicted of “espionage” in Iran and was sentenced to 40 years in prison and 74 lashes after what was called a mock trial. According to Prime Minister Alexander De Croo (Open Vld), there were also indications that the Belgian was “really in danger”, he said in VTM NEWS on Friday evening.

The Prime Minister has informed the President of the House that he is available to provide explanations in Parliament. In the meantime, King Philippe is said to have had telephone contact with the Omani Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to thank him for the efforts made by Oman to enable the release of Vandecasteele.

Vandecasteele hugs his family at Melsbroek airport after 455 days in an Iranian cell.
Vandecasteele hugs his family at Melsbroek airport after 455 days in an Iranian cell. © Photo News

“He’s already joking again”

On his return to Belgian soil, Vandecasteele was welcomed by family and politicians, including Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonde (PS) and Foreign Affairs Minister Hadja Lahbib (MR). Both reacted with relief. “He is in good health and is already joking again,” said Lahbib at VRT NWS. As a free man, Vandecasteele left the military airport of Melsbroek in a van around 11:30 p.m. yesterday evening, with an unknown destination for the time being.

The family had heard the good news on Friday morning. A psychologist assisted Vandecasteele’s loved ones all day long. They had not heard from him for a month and before leaving there was no telephone contact with his loved ones. Vandecasteele flew in the morning from the Iranian capital Tehran to the Gulf state of Oman. There he was handed over to the Belgian delegation. If you want to know exactly how Vandecasteele’s repatriation went, read our reconstruction (+).

LOOK. “We were reassured when we saw him winking and smiling”

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