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Iran sentences Belgian national to 74 lashes, 40 years in prison

11 Jan 2023 10:35am
Olivier Vandecasteele arrested in February last year by Iran's security agencies was handed preliminary sentences on Tuesday on four charges. - Pic from Radio Free Europe
Olivier Vandecasteele arrested in February last year by Iran's security agencies was handed preliminary sentences on Tuesday on four charges. - Pic from Radio Free Europe
TEHRAN - Iran's judiciary has sentenced a Belgian national to 40 years in prison apart from 74 lashes on four charges, including espionage and some financial crimes.

Olivier Vandecasteele, arrested in February last year by Iran's security agencies, was handed preliminary sentences on Tuesday on four charges, Anadolu Agency reported the judiciary-affiliated Mizan News said.

For the two main charges of "spying for foreign intelligence agencies" and "collaborating with the hostile US government against the Islamic Republic", the 41-year-old former aid worker received 12.5 jail sentences each.

It added that other charges include "professional smuggling of foreign currency" amounting to US$500,000, for which he was given 2.5 years in jail and 74 lashes.

He was also charged with money laundering of the same amount, which includes another 12.5 years in prison.

The sentences are preliminary and can be challenged in the court of appeals within 20 working days, the judiciary said.

Vandecasteele's family last month said they had been informed during a meeting with Belgium's prime minister that he will get a 28-year jail term.

Last week, Iran's state media said Vandecasteele had come to the country "under the guise of humanitarian works" to spy for foreign intelligence agencies and to disturb the country's internal security.

The Belgian national, who previously worked for the Norwegian Refugee Council, has rejected the charges and authorities in Belgium have also termed his imprisonment illegal.
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Anadolu Agency also reported that Belgium's justice minister last month said Vandecasteele had been arrested in Iran on "a series of fabricated charges".

Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib, reacting to the sentences on Twitter on Tuesday, said Iran's ambassador to Brussels would be summoned as a mark of protest.

Last week, judiciary spokesman Masoud Setayeshi said an indictment was issued against the Belgian national on November 9 on charges of espionage. - Bernama

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