Belgian Court Gives Way to Trade Prisoners With Iran

The decision, according to Belgian media, temporarily lifts the ban on the use of the treaty, for which a court of appeals had decided earlier this year.

Prime Minister Alexander de Cruoo's government said the treaty is the only way to free Olivier Vandecateelle, the Belgian aid worker found in a Tehran prison.

Vandecateelle, 41, was detained by Iranian authorities in February, and no charges have yet been filed.

In exchange, Iran would likely want to bring home Iranian diplomat Assad Assad, who last year was sentenced to 20 years in prison over a bomb attack plot at a rally of Iran's National Resistance Council in Paris in June 2018. This council is the Iranian opposition group, found in exile.

The Belgian opposition has claimed that the deal with Iran has been made to free Assad, meanwhile, Iranians found in exile have also sharply rejected the deal. This has prompted a group of 11 human rights organisations to ask Brussels to cancel the agreement.

The organisations said this treaty could result in the release of a prisoner for terrorism “and legitimise Iran's taking hostage”.

Western states have repeatedly accused Iran of trying to take advantage of foreign states by hostageing foreign citizens who have dual citizenship, and then using them in exchange for prisoners.