Fate of captive still uncertain

16 August 2007

BRUSSELS – There continues to be a great deal of uncertainty about the fate of Belgian Stefaan Boeve, who has been taken hostage in Iran. VRT reports that Iranian press agency FARS has said that the man has been freed after actions by security services.

The foreign affairs ministry does not want to confirm the report however. “If Stefaan were released surely he would contact his family immediately,” says François Dumont of Foreign Affairs. “That has not happened yet and so the situation remains as it was. There was also a report earlier that he had been released but that proved premature. So we must be very cautious.”

The man’s partner, Carla Van den Eeckhout, was released for “humanitarian reasons.” She is staying in a hotel in Zahedan and is in good condition. Stefaan Boeve was able to call his mother on Monday to say he was safe and in good health.

He also described approximately where he was. The foreign affairs ministry assumed at the time that he had been released, but it emerged later that this was not the case.

Subject: Belgian news