Belgian held in Iranian jail for 15 month speaks following his release
Olivier Vandecasteele, the Belgian NGO worker incarcerated in an Iranian jail for 15 months, has published an open letter expressing his gratitude following his release as part of a prisoner exchange.
Dear friends,
I have been back in Belgium for 5 days now. I'm doing well.
After 15 months of arbitrary detention, I am gradually getting back in touch with another reality: a beautiful week in my democratic Belgium. I can only say that the discrepancy is huge. I am followed by a medical team which I thank for their professional support. Having had no direct access to outside information for the entire duration of my detention in solitary confinement (i.e., 13 consecutive months), I was miles away from imagining the extent of the citizen mobilization - which all of you have worn day after day - across the country and across borders.
The extent of your support moves me deeply. I am amazed by all the actions – small and large – that were held to achieve my liberation. Through petitions, Op-eds, demonstrations, banners, drawings, cards and letters, I discover gradually all the words of friends, colleagues, schoolchildren, academics, artists, sportsmen, members of civil society, and more broadly of all Belgian and European compatriots who mobilized to set me free.
Your action, combined with the multiple efforts of the Belgian Government, have made the difference. Your support also allowed my family and friends to cope during this storm. I will never be able to thank them enough for having withstood this for 15 long months.
I really desire to reconnect with you all, but it will be gradual. Slowly but surely, I want to take the time to personally thank all those who believed in my innocence and gave me back my freedom.
Finally, I wanted to thank You all for the kindness that surrounds us since my return, my family and I. We feel a lot of love. This allows us to reconnect quietly and discreetly.
Let us continue the efforts to release other innocent hostages around the world. Let us bring active support to projects that carry the values of humanity, solidarity and hope.
This world, which is unfortunately often terribly cynical, needs it now more than ever.
I love you, and thank you all deeply, forever.
Olivier Vandecasteele