Belgian aid worker sentenced to 28 years in Iran

Tehran: A Belgian aid worker, Olivier Vandecasteele, was sentenced to jail for 28 years by Iran's system. He was arrested at the end of February and held at the infamous Evin prison.

Belgian Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne received a call from his Iranian counterpart regarding the verdict but did not share more details on the charges.

The 41-year-old was reportedly suspected of spying, said his family spokesperson to AFP. "The family is devastated. Can you imagine? If there's no solution he could stay in prison until 2050. He'll be almost 70," he said urging the Belgian government to resort to a prisoner swap treaty. The Vandescasteele family has been invited to meet Belgium's Prime Minister Alexander De Croo and several ministers.

His family and Belgium's government have insisted that he is innocent. They also accused Tehran of holding him hostage in an effort to get Brussels to release an Iranian agent convicted of terrorism. Assadollah Assadi, the Iranian diplomat was sentenced last year to 20 years in prison.

Assadi is convicted for supplying explosives to a couple from Belgium. They were to travel to Paris and target a meeting of Iran's exiled opposition. Tehran was outraged at the development.