The well being of a Belgian humanitarian assist employee jailed in Iran is deteriorating, based on his greatest pal.
Olivier Vandecasteele was imprisoned in Tehran final February on the eve of his return residence and sentenced to 40 years in jail with 74 lashes.
However after almost one yr in solitary confinement his closest pal Olivier Van Steirtegem - who has been serving to within the struggle for his launch - says his situation is just not good.
"The scenario is extraordinarily troublesome," Van Steirtegem instructed Euronews.
"The meals could be very unhealthy, so he misplaced already 25 kilos. He does not see anybody as a result of he cannot exit of his cell. He misplaced the nails of his toes. He has gastric points, psychological points, and dental points. So, Olivier is sort of determined.
"I'd say Olivier does not see issues transferring, clearly, as a result of the those who have him, inform him 'no one is considering you. Your embassy does not wish to see you. Your loved ones is just not fascinated with you'. And that is clearly troubling in his thoughts."
Van Steirtegem added that Belgian authorities ought to comply with the instance of the US authorities in the case of negotiating prisoner exchanges.
"It is unattainable as a relative or as a detailed pal of Olivier not to consider the scenario of comparable hostages in Iran and what these nations do with a purpose to unencumber their very own residents," he mentioned.
"I take a easy instance - america of America. After they had this basketball participant [Brittney Griner] arrested in Russia - they didn't hesitate to unencumber a weapons trafficker, Viktor Bout, who was sentenced to 25 years in jail, to unencumber this individual with a purpose to get the return of their very own citizen.
"And that is a optimistic factor as a result of that implies that democracy does not let authoritarian regimes do no matter they need. They take into account that the lifetime of their very own citizen is extra vital than regardless of the individual they'd have right here in jail.
"We [Belgium] have to be extra confident, I'd say, on the truth that the lifetime of a human being is an important factor on Earth - full-stop."
Hostage diplomacy
For a lot of observers, Vandecasteele is caught up in a high-stakes recreation of geopolitical hostage diplomacy.
Iran initially needed to swap him for an Iranian diplomat referred to as Assadollah Assadi who's convicted of terrorism in Belgium.
However a Belgian court docket suspended a switch treaty between Brussels and Tehran, which was agreed in July, fearing Assadi will escape punishment in Iran.
Which means, for now, Vandecasteele is caught in the midst of diplomatic negotiations, with the Iranian authorities thus far solely keen to do a like-for-like change.
Belgium's Supreme court docket should resolve by March if the swap can go forward below the phrases of this switch treaty.
Amnesty Worldwide's director in Belgium, Philippe Hensmans, says the federal government ought to already be engaged on different options ought to the prisoner swap fail.
"What's extra harmful is to get the Belgian authorities considering solely about this resolution to get Olivier launched. It is extraordinarily vital to seek out all these different options slightly than [just] this one, as a result of if the Court docket of Cassation [Supreme Court] says no, properly, what lets do then?" Hensmans instructed Euronews.
"So, I hope that there are diplomatic discussions - we do not know what's being mentioned - however that the Belgian authorities is searching for different options to get them launched."
A time to be 'brave'
A petition in Belgium calling for the discharge of Olivier has already reached 200,000 signatures.
Hensmans added that this could give the Belgian authorities much more motive to be courageous in its decision-making in the case of Vandecasteele's case.
"I believe what's vital is to measure how a lot Belgian persons are pushing to get him launched and pushing the Belgian authorities to do every little thing they'll to get him launched," Hensmans mentioned.
"We're reaching 200,000 individuals who have signed the petition, which is gigantic. That is in all probability one of many greatest petitions we now have had at Amnesty [in Belgium], for instance. They usually should take that under consideration. So many individuals are asking that they [Belgian government] be brave as a result of they're supported by the Belgian inhabitants. So be brave."
Earlier this month, Belgian Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne mentioned the federal government will do every little thing it may possibly inside the bounds of the structure to free Vandecasteele.
However as Belgium is ready for the Supreme Court docket resolution, it isn't the one nation locked in a diplomatic battle with Iran.
On Sunday, an illustration was held in Paris calling for the discharge of seven French residents held in Iranian prisons on trumped-up expenses, together with espionage.
There are different nations too, as Tehran more and more makes use of the tactic towards the West, as its personal diplomatic leverage wanes, following years of crippling financial sanctions.
It is why Amnesty Worldwide says nations affected by the identical drawback want to begin working collectively to neutralise Iran's efforts at geopolitical hostage-taking.
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