Belgium-Iran prisoner-swap deal
July, 2022
The Belgian parliament is set to consider a bill regularizing prisoners swap between the country and several others, including Iran. This treaty could result in the release of Assadollah Assadi, Iranian diplomat-terrorist currently serving a 20-year term in prison in Belgium.
Initially signed secretly in March 2021, this treaty underlines those criminals arrested in either Belgium or Iran should return to their country of origin for punishment. Once ratified, this so-called “humanitarian plan” will result in the repatriation of Iran’s incarcerated Assadi.
Assadi masterminded a foiled terrorist plot against the Iranian Resistance “Free Iran” gathering in Paris in June 2018. He used his diplomatic status to transfer 500 grams of the deadly explosive TAPT, using a commercial airline to Austria, where he managed Tehran’s extensive network of terrorism and espionage across Europe as the third secretary of the regime’s embassy in Vienna.
Assadi and his three operatives were arrested before implementing their sinister plan. Assadi was later sentenced to 20 years in prison.The three others also received lengthy jail terms.
Thus, freeing Assadi would only serve as a green light to Tehran to carry out operations across Europe against Iranian dissidents.
The deal has outraged the Iranian people, lawmakers, and current and former officials around the world.
On July 1, Radio France International (RFI) Persian-language website in this regard wrote: “This treaty seems to result in releasing one or several dual-nationals and French hostages in Iran. But beyond this deal, the Europeans are trying to facilitate profiting from Iran’s oil and gas.”
“When it comes to their vital interests, Europeans have no shame in abandoning the moral and legal principles. They are experts in using the so-called ‘realistic policy,’” RFI wrote in this regard.
The Iranian regime did not deny that the whole affair was paving the way for Assadi’s release. “This means that the Iranian diplomat Assadollah Assadi, against whom the MEK filed a case in Belgian courts, may be released,” affirmed Iran’s official channel 2 TV on July 4.
As it faces more domestic challenges and international pressure, Tehran does not shy away from any measures to counter its organized opposition, the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK).
“Since 2021, we started comprehensive and good cooperation with the foreign ministry to put pressure on the countries’ hosting the [Iranian Resistance]. In every meeting with the European delegations or ambassadors, we speak about the MEK,” said Kazem Gharib Abadi, the international deputy of Iran’s judiciary, on June 25.
Apparently, the disgraceful deal between European countries and Tehran is part of the regime’s “comprehensive plan” against its organized opposition.
Less than 24 hours after the news made rounds, Iranians and political figures from all around the world have become vocal expressing outrage to let Brussels learn it cannot go ahead with such a deal without weighing the repercussions.
In a letter to the president of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives Eliane Tillieux, Former FBI Director Louis J. Freeh, former National Security Advisor James L. Jones and seven other US dignitaries denounced the deal.
“We are deeply concerned by a treaty on the ‘Transfer of Sentenced Persons’ signed secretly between Belgium and the Islamic Republic of Iran in March 2022, which would allow convicted Iranian diplomat Assadollah Assadi to be transferred back to Iran where he would certainly be set free,” wrote 8 prominent lawyers to the Belgian PM.
Three members of the US congress addressed the Belgian PM: “We urge you to lead the Belgian Parliament in rejecting any deal between your government and the Islamic Republic of Iran that would return the terrorist, Asadollah Assadi — or any other convicted Iranian terrorist, for that matter — to the homeland.”
The International Committee ‘In Search of Justice’ (ISJ) wrote to the Belgian PM: “The release from prison in Belgium would make a complete mockery of justice and send the clearest signal to the Iranian regime that they can conduct terrorist attacks in Europe with impunity. Indeed, they may even be encouraged to take further European hostages to hold as bargaining chips for future prisoner exchanges.”
The British Committee for Iran Freedom (BCFIF) issued a statement : “This is tantamount to releasing these convicted terrorists and allowing them to escape justice given the well-documented reputation of Iran’s Judiciary to grant and uphold impunity for regime officials for serious crimes, recently expressed by the UN Special Rapporteur on Iran.”
The AFP wrote on July 4: “An opposition MP and lawyers for a dissident Iranian group said a bilateral Belgium-Iran treaty due to be voted on this week would pave the way for Assadollah Assadi, convicted of terror charges and sentenced in February 2021, to be sent home.The treaty’s text “is tailored to Mr Assadi”, said the MP, Georges Dallemagne.
“This is an erosion of the legal system,” Michael Freilich, a Belgian MP for the Flemish nationalists N-VA, who are in opposition in the Belgian parliament told Politico. “Iran has made clear publicly that they don’t see Assadi as a terrorist, but as a diplomat. He will be freed as soon as he steps foot on Iranian soil.”
Amnesty International has also previously warned Iran was holding Djalali hostage to compel Belgium and Sweden to hand over former Iranian officials, including Assadi.
Tuesday July 5, the Belgian parliament was to hold a vote at the Foreign Committee level and a final vote is going to be held on Thursday, July 7, that will enable Brussels to go ahead and exchange the so-called convicted prisoners with interested parties.
