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A short timeline of events that led to Belgian aid worker Olivier Vandecasteele's capture by Iran, the controversial prisoner swap treaty Belgium signed to get him back — and his release after 455 days in prison🧵 
Long story short: Iran had a man held in Belgium that it wanted to get back. To have some leverage, it captured a Belgian national first chance it got.
lemonde.fr/en/internation…
lemonde.fr/en/internation…
In 2018, Iranian intelligence planned to bomb the annual gathering of dissidents in exile — the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). Took place near Paris that June.
It was a HUGE gathering. Would've been one of the bloodiest terror attacks in recent European history.
It was a HUGE gathering. Would've been one of the bloodiest terror attacks in recent European history.
The attack was orchestrated by Assadollah Assadi, who we now know works for Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security. But on the surface, he was working as an Iranian "diplomat" in Vienna.
Assadi came back from a trip to Iran via plane, with the bomb in his suitcase.
The investigation later revealed he passed the bomb on to his accomplices under the table at a Pizza Hut in Luxembourg.
reuters.com/article/uk-ira…
The investigation later revealed he passed the bomb on to his accomplices under the table at a Pizza Hut in Luxembourg.
reuters.com/article/uk-ira…
Fast forward to the day of the attack — French, German and Belgian authorities work together to intercept the 4 people working on the terror plot.
Assadi is arrested in Belgium. After a long investigation, in 2021 he becomes a convicted terrorist.
nytimes.com/2021/02/04/wor…
Assadi is arrested in Belgium. After a long investigation, in 2021 he becomes a convicted terrorist.
nytimes.com/2021/02/04/wor…
On Febuary 24, 2022, Belgian aid worker Olivier Vandecasteele is detained in Iran.
Together with Amnesty International, his family launches an impressive campaign to bring him home. If you live in Brussels, you've surely seen the posters. They're everywhere.
Together with Amnesty International, his family launches an impressive campaign to bring him home. If you live in Brussels, you've surely seen the posters. They're everywhere.
July 2022: He's been imprisoned for four months.
Belgium's government passes a prisoner swap treaty that would allow it to exchange aid worker Olivier Vandecasteele for — you guessed it — convicted terrorist Assadollah Assadi.
politico.eu/article/prewri…
Belgium's government passes a prisoner swap treaty that would allow it to exchange aid worker Olivier Vandecasteele for — you guessed it — convicted terrorist Assadollah Assadi.
politico.eu/article/prewri…
What the prisoner swap deal actually implies is that each prisoner would return home to complete their sentence there. Assadi would be free to plan new plots.
Deal becomes controversial, gets frozen by Belgium's constitutional court.
Deal becomes controversial, gets frozen by Belgium's constitutional court.
January 2023: Vandecasteele is officially convicted by Iran on fabricated espionage charges. He gets 40 years in prison and 74 lashed.
The prisoner swap deal becomes unfrozen March 2023.
politico.eu/article/belgiu…
The prisoner swap deal becomes unfrozen March 2023.
politico.eu/article/belgiu…
This whole time it looks like Belgium began deliberating a potential prisoner swap after Vandecasteele's arrest. Then last month, leaked documents show otherwise — that Belgian authorities were considering such an agreement even before his arrest.
lemonde.fr/en/internation…
lemonde.fr/en/internation…
“Belgium and Iran first reached an agreement on a prisoner exchange, and only months later Olivier Vandecasteele was arrested as a bargaining chip.”
hln.be/buitenland/oli…
hln.be/buitenland/oli…
After 455 days lived in inhumane conditions in Iranian prison, Olivier Vandecasteele is supposed to return to Belgium today.
He's "on his way to Belgium,” prime minister De Croo says.
politico.eu/article/iran-r…
He's "on his way to Belgium,” prime minister De Croo says.
politico.eu/article/iran-r…
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