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Washington Post Journalist Sues Iran for $1 Billion to Deter Future Hostage Taking
(Washington Post) Spencer S. Hsu - Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian, 42, asked a federal judge Tuesday to impose $1 billion in damages against the government of Iran to deter future taking of American hostages. Iranian security agents arrested Rezaian and his wife in Tehran on July 22, 2014. He was held 544 days in captivity, and his wife spent 72 days in solitary confinement. He was convicted of espionage after a "sham trial" with evidence that consisted of his newspaper articles. Rezaian was released with two other Americans in a prisoner swap on Jan. 16, 2016, the day the nuclear pact with Iran was implemented. In exchange, seven Iranians charged or imprisoned on sanctions violations won U.S. grants of clemency. Brig.-Gen. Mohammad Reza Naqdi, the commander of Iran's Basij Force, linked Rezaian's release to the U.S. payment of $1.7 billion to Iran in the nuclear deal.