UN Experts Say Arrest of Belgian Citizen in Iran Violates Int’l Law

UN rights experts have condemned Iran’s “arbitrary” detention of Belgian aid worker Olivier Vandecasteele and demanded his immediate release. “We believe Mr. Vandecasteele has been arbitrarily deprived of his liberty and is a victim of enforced disappearance for periods of detention,” the independent UN human rights experts said in a statement. “His right to a fair trial before an independent and impartial tribunal has been violated. These are flagrant violations of Iran’s obligations under international law,” they said.