Timeline | From Arrest to Exchange of Iranian Diplomat Convicted of Terrorism with Belgian Aid Worker

The confirmation of the exchange of Olivier Vandecasteele and Assadollah Assadi by officials from the Islamic Republic of Iran and Belgium on Friday, May 26, was at the forefront of news related to Iran. Below is a timeline of events related to the arrest, conviction, imprisonment, and ultimately the release of these two individuals. Arrest of Assadi: Assadollah Assadi, the third secretary of the Islamic Republic's embassy in Vienna, Austria, now 52 years old, was arrested on July 1, 2018, in Bavaria, Germany, on charges of involvement in a bombing attempt at a gathering of the Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization in Paris. Extradition of Assadi from Germany to Belgium: A court in Berlin, Germany, on October 9, 2018, issued a ruling allowing Assadi's extradition to Belgium. Trial and Conviction of Assadi: On November 28, 2020, Assadollah Assadi was tried in Belgium on charges of plotting a terrorist operation in Europe, along with three other defendants named Mehrdad Arefani, Amir Saadouni, and Nasimeh Naami. The Antwerp Criminal Court in Belgium on February 5, 2021, rejected Assadi's diplomatic immunity and sentenced him to 20 years in prison. On May 4, 2021, Assadi's 20-year prison sentence was upheld. Assadi's requests for appeal and cassation were rejected. Five days later, on May 9, 2021, the appeals court confirmed the final 20-year sentence for Assadi and announced that Saadouni and Naami were sentenced to 18 years in prison and stripped of their Belgian citizenship, while Arefani was sentenced to 17 years in prison and stripped of his Belgian citizenship. Arrest of Vandecasteele: Olivier Vandecasteele, a 42-year-old Belgian aid worker and operations manager for Iran at the Norwegian Refugee Council, was arrested on February 24, 2022, on charges of "espionage" in Iran. Belgian parliament representatives described the arrest of this aid worker as "kidnapping" aimed at political leverage. Approval and then Suspension of the Prisoner Exchange Treaty: On the night of Wednesday, July 20, 2022, the Belgian parliament controversially signed the treaty between the governments of Iran and Belgium for prisoner exchange with 79 votes in favor and 41 against, which faced protests from many American lawmakers, human rights organizations, and Iranian political and human rights activists. However, two days later, on July 22, 2022, a court in Belgium prohibited Assadi's transfer to Iran or any third country until further notice. Trial of Vandecasteele: He, being in poor physical and mental condition, was sentenced in December 2022 by the Revolutionary Court to 40 years in prison, 74 lashes, confiscation of property, and a monetary fine. Final Confirmation of the Prisoner Exchange Treaty: On February 1, 2023, the Belgian Constitutional Court rejected a request to annul the prisoner exchange treaty between Belgium and the Islamic Republic, paving the way for the final exchange of prisoners between the two countries, and three days later, on February 4, Iran announced its readiness to implement it. Denial of Assadi's Release in the Near Future: On April 25, 2023, the Belgian government announced in a statement that Assadollah Assadi would not be released soon in the prisoner exchange between the two countries. Oman and Prisoner Exchange: On Wednesday, May 24, 2023, Omani state television reported that Sultan Haitham would visit Tehran on Sunday, May 28, at the official invitation of Ibrahim Raisi, the President of Iran, for a two-day trip. On Friday, May 26, just two days before the Sultan of Oman's trip to Iran, hours after Oman announced its mediation in the exchange of these two prisoners, Iranian and Belgian officials confirmed the exchange of Assadi and Vandecasteele. Western countries have referred to the imprisonment of their citizens by the Islamic Republic as "political hostage-taking" and have repeatedly called on the Islamic Republic to end this "oppressive" practice. However, the Islamic Republic continues to arrest and imprison Western and dual-national citizens on charges such as "espionage" and "actions against national security" without providing any evidence or documentation. Iran and Belgium exchanged two prisoners; the Belgian aid worker and the imprisoned diplomat Assadollah Assadi were released. Belgium: The Iranian diplomat convicted in the terrorism case will not be released soon. The judiciary announced the exchange of Assadollah Assadi with a Belgian prisoner in the coming days. The stepdaughter of the Belgian aid worker imprisoned in Iran imprisoned herself for 24 hours. Belgium demanded the release of its imprisoned citizen in Iran. Iran welcomed the confirmation of the prisoner exchange agreement with Belgium: it might be "influential" in Assadi's case. Amnesty International: The Belgian aid worker in Iran is facing torture and various abuses. Members of the European Parliament called for the release of the Belgian aid worker imprisoned in Iran. Protesters in Brussels demanded the release of the Belgian aid worker imprisoned in Iran. UN experts requested the immediate release of the Belgian citizen imprisoned in Iran. The sentence of 40 years in prison and 74 lashes for the Belgian aid worker in the Islamic Revolutionary Court. Belgium urged its citizens to leave Iran. The prisoner exchange agreement between Belgium and Iran was suspended. The Belgian court removed legal obstacles to the extradition of Assadollah Assadi. Dozens of experts and human rights organizations urged the Belgian government not to release Assadollah Assadi.