Reporter jailed in Iran sues Iranian government

WASHINGTON – The Washington Post reporter who was detained for more than 18 months in Iran after being accused of espionage has filed a federal lawsuit against the Iranian government.

The lawsuit filed Monday by Jason Rezaian (reh-ZY’-ahn) together with his brother and mother accuses the Iranian government of subjecting him to torture and holding him hostage with the aim of “extorting concessions” from the U.S. government and others.

Rezaian was arrested in July 2014 and released in January 2016 as part of a prisoner exchange between the U.S. and Iran. Iranian officials never specified why Rezaian was targeted. He denied the charges.

The suit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia seeks an unspecified amount of money under the terrorism exception to the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act.

News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?

The Associated Press

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.