Belgium Ratifies Iran Prisoner Swap Treaty

Brussels, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Jul, 2022 ) :Belgian MPs voted Wednesday to ratify a fiercely-criticised treaty allowing prisoner exchanges with Iran, potentially opening the way for an Iranian diplomat jailed on terrorism charges to return home.

After two days of rowdy debate, parliament voted by 79 to 41 to back the agreement. The treaty had already won approval from a parliamentary commission on July 6.

Critics of the deal, both Belgians and members of an exiled Iranian opposition movement, say Belgium is backing down in the face of what is in effect hostage-taking by Tehran.

But Prime Minister Alexander de Croo's government argues it is the only route possible to free a Belgian already held in Iran, jailed aid worker Olivier Vandecasteele.

This would imply, however, that Belgium will release -- and possibly even pardon -- Iranian diplomat Assadollah Assadi who was last year sentenced to 20 years over a bomb plot.

The Belgian opposition alleged the agreement with Tehran was "tailor made" to permit Assadi's release, and Iranian exiles have mounted street protests and a ferocious lobbying campaign.

The 50-year-old was found guilty of orchestrating a terrorist project that was foiled at the eleventh hour in June 2018, when Belgian officers arrested a Belgian-Iranian couple carrying explosives.

The pair was travelling to France to target the annual gathering near Paris of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), a coalition of opponents of the Tehran regime.

The Antwerp court ruled that Assadi had masterminded this project on behalf of Iranian intelligence, under diplomatic cover as an envoy to Austria -- and thus had no immunity in Belgium.

Tehran has reacted furiously, demanding that Belgium recognise Assadi's diplomatic status and release him.

Earlier this month, presenting the treaty "on the transfer of sentenced persons" to MEPs, Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne tried to decouple the text from the Assadi case.