Jason Rezaian and His Family Sue the Iranian Government in a U.S. Federal Court

On Monday, October 3, Jason Rezaian and his family filed a lawsuit against the Iranian government in a U.S. federal court. Mr. Rezaian stated that he was a hostage of the Islamic Republic and was subjected to mental and physical abuse during his 18 months in prison. This journalist emphasized that the purpose of his detention was to influence Tehran's negotiations over the nuclear deal. According to the Washington Post, where Mr. Rezaian was a correspondent in Tehran, his complaint was filed in Washington, D.C. In his lawsuit, he claimed he was arrested so that Tehran could have leverage in prisoner exchanges and extort exclusive concessions from the U.S. government during multilateral negotiations regarding Iran's nuclear program. The complaint states that Iranian officials repeatedly told Rezaian and his wife, Yeganeh Salehi, who was detained for two months, that he was a 'valuable' bargaining chip for prisoner exchanges. The lawsuit establishes a connection between key moments in the nuclear negotiations and the treatment of Rezaian in the Iranian judicial system, from his arrest to sentencing and ultimately his release on the day the nuclear agreement was implemented. The lawsuit specifies that 'Jason was held for approximately 18 months by the Iranian government to gain leverage in negotiations and ultimately for his exchange with the United States to obtain something valuable for Iran.' The Washington Post reports that Jason, his brother Ali Rezaian, and his mother Mary Rezaian are seeking an unspecified amount of damages using the 'Terrorism Exception' law to sue against foreign sovereign immunity. Under this law, U.S. citizens cannot sue another government in domestic courts, but exceptions are made for acts of terrorism, torture, or being taken hostage by a foreign country—such as Iran—which the U.S. has designated as a state sponsor of terrorism. Jason Rezaian has accused the Islamic Republic of Iran of all three. Iranian security agents arrested this Iranian-American journalist along with his wife, Yeganeh Salehi, on July 22, 2014, while they were in their apartment in Tehran, wearing masks. They were then transferred to Evin Prison. Ms. Salehi was released after 71 days on a $32,000 bail posted by Ali Rezaian. However, Jason Rezaian was charged with espionage and acting against national security and was tried by Judge Salavati. According to the Washington Post, the lawsuit recounts instances from his imprisonment that had not been previously published. The journalist stated that he and his wife were regularly subjected to mental and physical abuse during interrogations. Interrogators threatened to decapitate him or execute him. Interrogations were conducted in solitary confinement and often while they were sleeping, with each being separately told that the other would be decapitated or executed. These threats were also made against their family in Iran. The Rezaian family emphasized in their lawsuit that despite nine months having passed since their exchange with Iranian prisoners in the U.S., they continue to suffer from the psychological damage caused by their detention. 'Jason suffered from physical mistreatment and severe psychological abuse in Evin Prison for 544 days, to the extent that his condition is no longer the same as before. He requires special medical care and other treatments for the rest of his life.' In recent years, many lawsuits have been filed against the Islamic Republic of Iran by American citizens in U.S. courts, but Tehran has not responded to them, resulting in U.S. judges issuing default judgments against Iran. The U.S. Congress and courts have provided a legal framework for Americans to sue Iran and seek damages. Iran, along with Sudan and Syria, is listed as a primary state sponsor of terrorism worldwide, as published annually by the U.S. State Department. The U.S. Supreme Court enacted a law in May of this year allowing American victims of terrorist acts and their families to receive compensation from $2 billion of Iranian assets in the U.S. This case pertains to those harmed by the 1983 bombings against the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut. Iran has called this Supreme Court action 'theft.'