U.S. Court Orders Iran to Pay Over $14 Million to Political Prisoner

A United States court issued a ruling stating that Iran is responsible for the physical and psychological suffering inflicted on Akbar Laksaniani, a former political prisoner, and must pay over $14 million in compensation.

A federal court in the United States ruled that the Islamic Republic of Iran is liable for torture, unlawful detention, and permanent physical and psychological harm to Akbar Laksaniani, a political activist and dual national prisoner, and ordered it to pay $14,233,208.08 in damages.

 This ruling consists of compensation for damages incurred and punitive damages intended to deter repetition of such acts in the future. Akbar Laksaniani had filed a lawsuit against Ali Khamenei and Hossein Salami (former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps), arguing that his detention was unlawful, he was tortured, and did not receive proper medical care.

Judge Jia Cobb stated in her ruling that she accepts a substantial portion of Laksaniani’s claims and, given his victimization, deems “punitive damages” necessary to deter Iran’s conduct. The court, citing precedent, emphasized that Iran’s actions were “extraordinarily deterrent” and constituted torture and state detention.

In Laksaniani’s complaint, he stated that during his detention in Iran, he was subjected to psychological and physical torture: lengthy interrogations, beatings, death threats, and denial of medical treatment for his diabetes. He also stated that his diabetes went untreated and he was deprived of essential medications such as insulin.

According to his attorney’s statement, these conditions resulted in infection and ultimately the amputation of three toes on his right foot and later part of his foot.

Laksaniani went on hunger strike multiple times in prison to protest the horrific prison conditions. He also claimed that while unconscious in the hospital, he was strapped to a hospital bed and beaten by officers; he was then transferred to a psychiatric hospital and given unidentified medications.

He also stated: “Since returning to America, I cannot sleep and am undergoing psychiatric medication treatment.”

Beyond seeking personal compensation, Laksaniani pursued a broader objective; he stated that he wanted to be the voice of political prisoners and prevent others from experiencing what he endured.

 According to his attorney, the process of proving claims in U.S. court was more difficult than typical cases, since Iran did not participate in the proceedings and had no representation.

Under U.S. law, a portion of the compensation will be paid to a fund for victims of human rights violations. Part of the damages award (the actual damages portion, not punitive) must be funded from this account. Laksaniani’s attorney stated that this fund is financed by penalties imposed against companies or individuals who have violated sanctions.

 However, his attorney notes that this fund does not disburse large sums to claimants annually, with typically only a very small percentage of the penalties assessed in each period being paid to victims.

Laksaniani is a veteran of the Iran-Iraq War and, according to his statements, served in the Khorramshahr liberation operations. After returning to Iran in 2019 to visit his ailing mother, he was arrested at the border and, following interrogation at various detention centers, was first transferred to Urmia Prison and then held in solitary confinement.

During his detention, he lost consciousness due to hunger strike and was taken to a hospital. After that, according to his account, officers brought a crane and a forklift to suggest he might be executed. According to Laksaniani, after his temporary release, he left Iran and returned to America; in America he underwent psychiatric treatment and his memory was also damaged.

The ruling issued by the court is an example of an international legal mechanism that allows individuals to hold accountable states that commit human rights violations. For the Christian community, this is a message that the value of human dignity and justice is morally important, even when states violate it.

With his complaint, Laksaniani was not only seeking personal redress, but spoke on behalf of many political prisoners. This moral and ethical representation can be inspiring among Christians, as it demonstrates that the voice of the oppressed can be heard and justice can be pursued across borders.

The punitive portion of the ruling serves not only to alleviate Laksaniani’s suffering, but as a warning message to other states. Such rulings can make states more cautious about violating human rights and, in the long term, help reduce such behavior. Furthermore, from a human rights and Christian faith perspective, not only financial compensation, but spiritual and psychological healing and the restoration of personal dignity are of paramount importance.