American reporter sues Iran for imprisonment

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WASHINGTON, Oct 3 (KUNA) — A Washington Post reporter freed from an Iranian prison in January is now suing Tehran for what he describes as “torture and other cruel treatment” during his 18-month detainment.

Jason Rezaian, who served as the Post’s Tehran bureau chief, was locked up in July 2014 on charges of spying for the US. His wife Yeganeh Salehi was also imprisoned for two months, until Rezaian’s brother freed her on bail.

“(The Iranians) held (Rezaian) in prolonged solitary confinement, deprived him of sleep, aggressively and relentlessly interrogated him, denied him basic medical treatment for serious and painful illnesses and infections, and threatened him with dismemberment, execution, and other forms of cruel and unusual physical torture,” the lawsuit claimed. It was filed Monday in US District Court in the District of Columbia.

Authorities also threatened to harm Rezaian if his wife did not provide information to incriminate him, the lawsuit said.

“Iran held and terrorized Jason for the purpose of gaining negotiating leverage and ultimately exchanging him with the United States for something of value to Iran,” the lawsuit claimed, adding that Rezaian, his brother, and Salehi all contemplated suicide.

Rezaian is suing Iran under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, which allows for legal action in cases of terrorism, torture, and hostage-taking against countries on the US list of state sponsors of terror.

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