The Belgian government has sent a draft bill that could facilitate future prisoner exchanges between Belgium and Iran to the country’s legislature, which may be approved as soon as this week. If passed, the bill - officially permitting the "transferral of sentenced persons" to Iran and vice versa, something already permissible between EU member states and 19 other countries - could pave the way for a deal involving the release of Asadollah Asadi, the former third secretary of the Islamic Republic’s embassy in Austria.

Back in March, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Kingdom of Belgium signed a treaty agreeing in principle to the transferral of convicted nationals in the other territory with either long or life prison sentences. No exception was set for those convicted for serious crimes such as terrorism or internationally-recognized crimes against humanity. Asadi was sentenced to 20 years in prison by a court in Antwerp in early 2021 for his part in a 2018 bomb plot targeting an event for Iranian dissidents in Europe. Just this week, it emerged that the Islamic Republic is reportedly holding at least two Belgian citizens hostage for potential use in such a transfer: an aid worker, Olivier Vandecasteele, and an unnamed university professor. The NFT of the week is a well know footage of veiled female Swedish politicians visiting the president of the Islamic regime while women are oppressed systematically, and many others getting death penalty due to apostasy against Islam and blasphemy. #ExMuslimScandinavia