US judge awards $180M to Post reporter held by Iran

[TexasTowelie]

Source: AP

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A U.S. federal judge has awarded a Washington Post journalist and his family nearly $180 million in their lawsuit against Iran over his 544 days in captivity and torture while being held on internationally criticized espionage charges.

The order in the case filed by Jason Rezaian comes nearly a week after Iranian officials shut down its internet and launched a security crackdown on protesters angered by government-set gasoline prices sharply rising. As internet access has slowly trickled back on, the U.S. government sanctioned Iran’s telecommunications minister in response to the internet shutdown.

U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon in Washington entered the judgment late Friday in Rezaian’s case, describing how authorities in Iran denied the journalist sleep, medical care and abused him during his imprisonment.

“Iran seized Jason, threatened to kill Jason, and did so with the goal of compelling the United States to free Iranian prisoners as a condition of Jason’s release,” Leon said in his ruling.

Read more: https://thepublicsradio.org/article/us-judge-awards-180m-to-post-reporter-held-by-iran

[oldsoftie]

1. Good. Now how does he get the money?

[TexasTowelie]

2. It's in the article:

It remains unclear how and if the money will be paid. It could come from the United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund, which has distributed funds to those held and affected by Iran’s 1979 student takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and subsequent hostage crisis. Rezaian named Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, this year designated as a terrorist organization by the Trump administration, as a defendant in the case.

[oldsoftie]

3. Thank you. I thought all the frozen money had been returned.