Iranian court sentences Belgian citizen to 40 years in jail
TEHRAN- A Belgian national has been found guilty of spying and other offenses, and a court in Iran has sentenced him to a total of 40 years in jail, several lashes, and financial fines, the Iranian Judiciary announced on Tuesday.
The Judiciary's official news site said preliminary verdict was issued against Olivier Vandecasteele on four accusations, which can be contested later.
He was sentenced to 25 years in jail on two major charges: 12.5 years for spying for foreign intelligence agencies and 12.5 years for "cooperating with the hostile United States government against the Islamic Republic."
Vandecasteele received a sentence of 2.5 years in jail, 74 lashes, and a $1 million fine for "professional smuggling of foreign cash" with the sum of $500,000
Last but not least, the Tehran Revolution Court sentenced him to 12.5 years in jail after determining that he had been convicted of laundering the money he was charged with smuggling.