In This Episode
WilmerHale Partner David Bowker talks with Jason Rezaian, a journalist with The Washington Post and the paper's former Tehran bureau chief who was wrongfully charged and convicted by the Iranian government on false claims of espionage. While imprisoned in Iran for 544 days, Jason was repeatedly tortured for information that he clearly did not possess. David, along with a WilmerHale team that included Ambassador Robert Kimmitt, helped obtain Jason's release and developed a legal strategy that resulted in a $180 million judgment against the government of Iran, including $30 million in compensatory damages for Jason and his family and $150 million in punitive damages. Jason speaks about:
- his life in Iran before his imprisonment
- his arrest and captivity
- his sham Iranian trial
- the extraordinary efforts that led to his eventual release
- bringing the civil case against Iran
- the current state of affairs between the US and Iran
Links:
- BBC coverage of Jason's conviction and trial:
- Iran releases Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian in prisoner swap with US
- U.S. judge orders Iran to pay $180 million in damages to detained Post journalist Jason Rezaian and his family (The Washington Post - subscription needed)
- WilmerHale Wins $180 Million Judgment Against Iran for Jason Rezaian and Family
- Jason's book, Prisoner: My 44 Days in an Iranian Prison—Solitary Confinement, a Sham Trial, High-Stakes Diplomacy, and the Extraordinary Efforts It Took to Get Me Out
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