Olivier Vandecasteele
Belgian humanitarian worker
📰 Recent Mentions
View Timeline →"Hostage Diplomacy"; Who Has Iran Exchanged in the Last 10 Years?
Iran has engaged in a series of prisoner exchanges with Western countries over the past decade, often involving the detention of foreign or dual citizens…
Ebrahim Raisi Visits Assadollah Assadi
Ebrahim Raisi visited Assadollah Assadi, a convicted Iranian diplomat in Belgium for a bombing plot. This visit coincides with a prisoner exchange between Iran and…
Belgian Foreign Minister: 'We have taken action at the European level' for the release of Ahmadreza Jalali
Belgium is actively seeking the release of Ahmadreza Jalali, an Iranian-Swedish researcher sentenced to death, through European diplomatic channels. The Belgian Foreign Minister emphasized ongoing…
Shirin Ebadi to Voice of America: Paying Ransom to the Islamic Republic is Not in Europe's Interest
Shirin Ebadi criticized the practice of European countries paying ransom to the Islamic Republic for the release of their citizens, arguing it undermines human rights…
The U.S. Says the Islamic Republic Has a Long History of 'Kidnapping' Foreign Nationals for 'Political Purposes'
The U.S. State Department has condemned the Islamic Republic for its long-standing practice of detaining foreign nationals for political leverage, expressing commitment to securing the…
The United States Continues Efforts to Free Americans 'Unjustly Detained in Iran'
The U.S. is actively working to secure the release of Americans detained in Iran, following the recent release of European citizens. The situation highlights ongoing…
Austria Announces the Release and Return of Two Imprisoned Citizens from Iran; Belgium: A Danish Citizen Has Also Been Released
Austria announced the release of two dual citizens imprisoned in Iran, Kamran Ghaderi and Masoud Mosaheb, with the support of Belgium and Oman. Their release…
Official Visit of Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, King of Oman, to Iran
Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of Oman is visiting Iran for two days to meet with President Ibrahim Raisi. This visit follows a recent diplomatic exchange…
The 'British Committee for the Freedom of Iran' Strongly Condemns the Release of Assadollah Assadi
The British Committee for the Freedom of Iran condemned Belgium's decision to release Iranian diplomat Assadollah Assadi, convicted of terrorism, in exchange for a Belgian…
Amnesty International Criticizes the Release of Assadollah Assadi: This Action Endangers Opponents of the Islamic Republic
Amnesty International criticized Belgium for releasing Assadollah Assadi, a convicted Iranian diplomat, in exchange for a Belgian humanitarian worker. This exchange raises concerns about the…
US Reaction to Prisoner Exchange with the Islamic Republic; A Disturbing Example for Advancing Political Goals
The US State Department expressed relief over the release of a Belgian citizen by Iran while condemning the unjust imprisonment of foreign nationals for political…
Prince Reza Pahlavi: Prisoner Exchange with the Islamic Republic Encourages More Hostage-Taking
Prince Reza Pahlavi criticized the recent prisoner exchange between Iran and Belgium, claiming it encourages the Islamic Republic's hostage-taking and terrorism. The exchange involved Belgian…
Timeline | From Arrest to Exchange of Iranian Diplomat Convicted of Terrorism with Belgian Aid Worker
The article details the timeline of events surrounding the arrest and exchange of Iranian diplomat Assadollah Assadi and Belgian aid worker Olivier Vandecasteele. Assadi was…
Darya Safai to Voice of America: Asadi, the released terrorist, marks a 'very bitter and dark' day
Iran and Belgium exchanged prisoners, releasing Belgian humanitarian worker Olivier Vandecasteele and Iranian diplomat Assadollah Assadi, convicted of terrorism. This exchange has sparked significant criticism…
Iran and Belgium Exchange Two Prisoners; Belgian Rescuer and Imprisoned Diplomat Assadollah Assadi Released
Iran and Belgium have exchanged two prisoners, Olivier Vandecasteele, a Belgian rescuer detained in Iran, and Assadollah Assadi, an Iranian diplomat imprisoned in Belgium. This…
Brussels Reviews Iran's Request to Exchange Assadollah Assadi for Belgian Humanitarian Worker
Belgium is considering Iran's request to exchange Assadollah Assadi, a convicted Iranian diplomat, for Olivier Vandecasteele, a Belgian humanitarian worker imprisoned in Iran. This situation…
Belgium: Iranian Diplomat Convicted in Terrorism Case Will Not Be Released Soon
Belgium has confirmed that Iranian diplomat Assadollah Assadi, sentenced to 20 years for terrorism, will not be part of a prisoner exchange soon. This follows…