Former hostage Ingrid Betancourt condemns Belgium's decision to release Iranian diplomat

Assadollah Assadi was jailed over a 2018 plot to bomb an Iranian opposition rally outside Paris

Assadollah Assadi had been serving a 20-year sentence in Belgium. Reuters

Former hostage Ingrid Betancourt has condemned Belgium's decision to release Iranian diplomat Assadollah Assadi, who was jailed for terrorism offences.

Assadi had been serving a 20-year prison sentence for attempting to bomb an international rally organised by an Iranian opposition group in Paris in 2018.

On Friday, Belgium released him in exchange for Belgian aid worker Olivier Vandecasteele, who had been detained for about 15 months in Iran.

On Monday, Ms Betancourt, who was held captive for six years by Colombia’s largest guerrilla group, criticised the move and said it was a “dark day” for justice.

“As much as I am overjoyed and relieved with the release of [a] Belgium hostage abducted by the Iranian dictatorship, I am shocked and deeply appalled to see such a clear violation of the rule of law in a democratic country such as Belgium,” she said.

“The decision to release a terrorist in violation of the law is making a mockery of justice and rewards the blackmail policy of the Iranian regime, putting every European citizen under threat of being taken hostage.

“This is a dark day for the rule of law and tarnishes the reputation of Belgium as a state, which respects the rule of law.

“Releasing a dangerous terrorist such as Assadi will encourage the Iranian regime to [lean towards] more terrorism in Europe and more hostage taking in the future. The government of Belgium bears the full responsibility for whatever crimes may result.”

Last year, Belgium and Iran signed a treaty to enable prisoner swaps.

Freed Belgian aid worker Olivier Vandecasteele is welcomed by family members as he disembarks an aircraft on the tarmac upon his return to Belgium after almost 15 months of captivity in Iran. (Photo by Didier LEBRUN / various sources / AFP) / Belgium OUT

Critics of the pact have alleged that the prisoner swap deal would only encourage Tehran to take Belgians hostage for use as bargaining chips to seek the return of agents such as Assadi arrested on terrorism charges in the West.

Mr Vandecasteele had been sentenced in January to 40 years in prison and 74 lashes for “espionage”, Tehran's judiciary said at the time.

“Olivier spent 455 days in prison in Tehran in unbearable conditions. Innocent,” Belgium's Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said, following news of his release.

“For me, the choice has always been clear. Olivier's life has always come first. It's a responsibility that I take upon myself, that I accept. In Belgium, we do not abandon anyone,” he added, without mentioning the prisoner swap.

Amnesty International said the return of Assadi would foster a climate of impunity.

Assadi was an Iranian diplomat based in Vienna, who was arrested after passing explosives to a Belgian-based Iranian couple who were supposed to travel to France to bomb an NCRI rally outside Paris.

He was arrested in Germany as he tried to return to Austria and extradited to Belgium where he did not enjoy diplomatic immunity.

He was convicted of attempted “terrorist” murder and of being a member of a “terrorist group”.

Belgian officials said they had no choice but to hand over Assadi to secure Vandecasteele's release.

Since Assadi's arrest on July 1, 2018, Belgium and its interests abroad were confronted with “an increased threat” from Iran, they said.