The family of Majd Kamalmaz, an American psychotherapist who was detained at a government checkpoint in Damascus, Syria, in 2017, has filed a civil lawsuit against the Syrian government. The lawsuit accuses the government of abducting, torturing and killing Kamalmaz, and seeks compensatory damages for wrongful death, assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress and false imprisonment.
The family alleges that Kamalmaz was unlawfully detained, falsely imprisoned and subjected to inhuman treatment in Syrian prisons. They claim that Syrian officials deliberately killed him as part of a plan to intimidate the civilian population and hold them accountable for their actions.
Kamalmaz was visiting an elderly family member at the time of his detainment, and had intended to establish a clinic in Syria to aid victims impacted by the civil war. His daughter suggests that he may have been detained due to his American passport.
The U.S. government has a fund set up for victims of state-sponsored terrorism that could provide compensation for the Kamalmaz family should the court rule in their favor and award them damages. The United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund can pay out claims, with a cap of $20 million per person or $20 million to $35 million per family. Depending on the amount of money in the fund, the family could get a certain percentage of whatever award is given over several years.
The Kamalmaz family hopes that this civil lawsuit will bring international attention to Syria’s crimes against thousands of victims and encourage the U.S. government to initiate criminal charges against Syria. They are also calling for the passage of the Assad Anti-Normalization Act, which would hold the Syrian regime fully accountable for its actions against Americans and Syrians alike.
