12/07/2022 Advocacy,

Joint Statement: Belgian law-makers must say no to prisoner swap deal with Iran that condones hostage-taking and could result in the release of a terrorist

The announcement on 29 June 2022 that Belgian lawmakers would examine a “Transfer of Sentenced Persons” bilateral treaty with the Islamic Republic of Iran sparked serious concerns that the Belgian Government is considering enabling the Islamic Republic of Iran’s hostage-taking policy and undermining accountability for Iranian officials convicted for acts of terrorism abroad.[i]

We, the undersigned NGOs, warn against a political deal that would legitimize Iran’s hostage-taking and swap deals as an acceptable state’s foreign policy. Belgium must call out Iran’s shameless instrumentalization of human lives to impose its political agenda upon the international community, not facilitate it.

Second, we raise alarms at a deal that would in effect allow for the release of Assadollah Asadi, an Iranian diplomat who has been convicted just last year of “attempted murder and involvement in terrorism”, in relation to an attempted bomb attack in France.[ii] History has shown us that the absence of accountability paves the way  to the repetition of human rights violations, as seen following the release of Annis Naccache by France in another swap deal with Iran back in 1990.[iii]

This is why we call on the Belgian Parliament to reject a bilateral treaty that, as drafted currently, would condone Iran’s hostage-taking policy and seriously contradict Belgium’s and the EU’s pledge to hold perpetrators of terrorism acts accountable. In 2019, the EU imposed sanctions upon Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security and Iranian officials including Assadollah Asadi for carrying out violence against opponents living abroad.[iv] Removing individuals convicted on terrorism charges from the list of potential beneficiaries of this treaty arrangement is the very least Belgian MPs can do to ensure that Belgium does not become complicit to the impunity that surrounds Iran’s state agents who perpetrate crimes abroad.

We urge the Belgian Parliament to say no to a treaty which may result in impunity for human rights violators, and put lives of Europeans and dual nationals in danger. We also urge the international community to step up its efforts to hold Iran accountable for its human rights violations and for its shameless instrumentalization of human lives.

Impunity should never be an option.

Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran

All Human Rights for All in Iran

Association for the Human Rights of the Azerbaijani People in Iran (AHRAZ) 

Baloch Activists Campaign

Impact Iran

Iran Human Rights

Iran Human Rights Documentation Center (IHRDC)

Kurdistan Human Rights Association – Geneva (KMMK-G)

Kurdpa Human Rights Organization

Rasank

Siamak Pourzand Foundation (SPF)


[i] https://www.lalibre.be/belgique/politique-belge/2022/07/06/le-traite-de-transferement-de-prisonniers-entre-liran-et-la-belgique-approuve-en-commission-SYCUAOD5BZC4ZFQJ5F5GEYVBPQ/

[ii] https://www.politico.eu/article/belgium-send-convicted-terrorist-iran/

[iii] https://www.nytimes.com/1990/07/28/world/france-releases-5-terrorists-and-sends-them-to-teheran.html see also https://apnews.com/article/0d87d3d31cfb0d8b0c806e155fd29e74

[iv] https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/08/world/europe/iran-eu-sanctions.html

UPCOMING EVENTS

(all times in EST)

02 04 23
  • World Autism Awareness Day

    02 04 23

03 04 23
  • HRC52: Iran Resolution Vote / Appt. of Mandate Holders

    03 04 23  6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

04 04 23
  • 52nd Session of the Human Rights Council: Closing

    04 04 23
    Geneva Switzerland

06 04 23
  • International Day of Sport for Development and Peace

    06 04 23

07 04 23
  • International Day of Reflection on the Genocide in Rwanda

    07 04 23

  • World Health Day

    07 04 23

12 04 23
  • International Day of Human Space Flight

    12 04 23

20 04 23
  • Chinese Language Day

    20 04 23

21 04 23
  • World Creativity and Innovation Day

    21 04 23

22 04 23
  • International Mother Earth Day

    22 04 23

23 04 23
  • English Language Day

    23 04 23

  • Spanish Language Day

    23 04 23

    http://www.un.org/es/events/spanishlanguageday/

  • World Book and Copyright Day

    23 04 23

25 04 23
  • World Malaria Day

    25 04 23

26 04 23
  • International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day

    26 04 23

  • World Intellectual Property Day

    26 04 23

28 04 23
  • World Day for Safety and Health at Work

    28 04 23

29 04 23
  • Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare

    29 04 23

30 04 23
  • International Jazz Day

    30 04 23

02 05 23
  • World Tuna Day

    02 05 23

03 05 23
  • World Press Freedom Day

    03 05 23

04 05 23
  • Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives During the Second World War

    04 05 23 - 05 05 23  

05 05 23
  • Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives During the Second World War

    04 05 23 - 05 05 23  

10 05 23
  • "Vesak", the Day of the Full Moon

    10 05 23

  • World Migratory Bird Day

    10 05 23

15 05 23
  • International Day of Families

    15 05 23

17 05 23
  • World Telecommunication and Information Society Day

    17 05 23

21 05 23
  • World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development

    21 05 23

22 05 23
  • International Day for Biological Diversity

    22 05 23

23 05 23
  • International Day to End Obstetric Fistula

    23 05 23

29 05 23
  • International Day of UN Peacekeepers

    29 05 23

31 05 23
  • World No-Tobacco Day

    31 05 23

01 06 23
  • Global Day of Parents

    01 06 23

04 06 23
  • International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression

    04 06 23

05 06 23
  • World Environment Day

    05 06 23

06 06 23
  • Russian Language Day

    06 06 23

08 06 23
  • World Oceans Day

    08 06 23

12 06 23
  • World Day Against Child Labour

    12 06 23

13 06 23
  • International Albinism Awareness Day

    13 06 23

14 06 23
  • World Blood Donor Day

    14 06 23

15 06 23
  • World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

    15 06 23

16 06 23
  • International Day of Family Remittances

    16 06 23

17 06 23
  • World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought

    17 06 23

18 06 23
  • Sustainable Gastronomy Day

    18 06 23

19 06 23
  • International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict

    19 06 23

20 06 23
  • World Refugee Day

    20 06 23

21 06 23
  • International Day of Yoga

    21 06 23

23 06 23
  • International Widows' Day

    23 06 23

  • United Nations Public Service Day

    23 06 23

25 06 23
  • Day of the Seafarer

    25 06 23

26 06 23
  • International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking

    26 06 23

  • United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

    26 06 23

27 06 23
  • Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day

    27 06 23

29 06 23
  • International Day of the Tropics

    29 06 23

30 06 23
  • International Asteroid Day

    30 06 23

01 07 23
  • International Day of Cooperatives

    01 07 23

11 07 23
  • World Population Day

    11 07 23

15 07 23
  • World Youth Skills Day

    15 07 23

18 07 23
  • Nelson Mandela International Day

    18 07 23

28 07 23
  • World Hepatitis Day

    28 07 23

30 07 23
  • International Day of Friendship

    30 07 23

  • World Day against Trafficking in Persons

    30 07 23