Shirin Ebadi to Voice of America: Paying Ransom to the Islamic Republic is Not in Europe's Interest

On Wednesday, Alexander Schallenberg, Austria's Foreign Minister, tweeted about his meeting with Shirin Ebadi, the Iranian lawyer and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. In this tweet, he emphasized support for human rights defenders worldwide, sharing a photo from the meeting. In an interview with Voice of America on Wednesday, Ebadi provided more details about the meeting and the topics discussed. She stated that her conversation with Schallenberg focused on the idea that 'paying ransom to a hostage-taking government is not in their country's interest.' Ebadi added that this is also 'against human rights law' and 'an abuse of the rule of law.' According to the Nobel Peace Prize winner, as soon as the conviction of Assadollah Assadi, a former diplomat of the Islamic Republic found guilty of terrorism, was confirmed, the Iranian government scrambled to get him out of prison and sent him back to Iran through a prisoner exchange deal, 'in exchange for one prisoner from Belgium, two from Austria, and one from Denmark.' Ebadi further emphasized: 'It may seem good to Europeans that they have freed four of their citizens. But they do not consider that by doing so, they are opening the door to terrorism in Europe.' She explained that the Iranian government knows it can easily do whatever it wants in Europe, take four more hostages, and that would be the end of it. This is not a policy that benefits Europe. Assadollah Assadi, the Iranian diplomat convicted of involvement in a terrorist act, was recently exchanged for Olivier Vandecasteele, a Belgian humanitarian worker, with the mediation of the Sultanate of Oman. On Friday, June 2, the Austrian Foreign Minister announced the release of Kamran Ghaderi and Masoud Mosahab, two Iranian-Austrian dual citizens imprisoned in Iran. Thomas Kims, a Danish citizen, also returned to his country after being released from prison in Iran. The release of these three European citizens occurred about three weeks after the release of two French citizens and another French-Irish citizen named Benjamin Brier and Bernard Filan. Western countries have labeled the imprisonment of their citizens by the Islamic Republic as 'political hostage-taking' and have repeatedly urged the Islamic Republic to end this 'cruel' practice. However, the Islamic Republic continues to detain and imprison Western and dual citizens on charges such as 'espionage' and 'actions against national security' without providing any evidence or documentation. The exchange of a Belgian hostage of the Islamic Republic for Assadollah Assadi raises questions about the position of the U.S. government. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, chair of the bipartisan committee to combat the hostage-taking of American citizens, has issued warnings regarding the situation of Nahid Taghavi, a dual citizen prisoner: her pain has become unbearable. An exclusive interview with Voice of America with Kamran Ghaderi after his release: 'I hope other prisoners will also be freed.' The Danish citizen released from Iran has returned to his country. Austria announced the release and return of two of its imprisoned citizens from Iran; Belgium confirmed that a Danish citizen has also been released. The lawyer for Siamak Namazi and the spouse of Shahab Deli have denied claims of 'the release of dual citizens.' The organization 'British Committee for the Freedom of Iran' has strongly condemned the release of Assadollah Assadi. A timeline of events from 'arrest to exchange' of the Iranian diplomat convicted of terrorism with the Belgian humanitarian worker.