The family of an American aid worker who died while in custody of the Assad regime in Syria filed a lawsuit against the government on Monday, accusing the dictatorship of causing the wrongful death and false imprisonment of their relative.
The 19-page legal action was filed in the United States District Court in Washington, D.C., seeking damages under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act for $70 million.
Majd Kamalmaz, a Syrian-born mental health professional and Virginia resident, was last reported seen in 2017 when he was negotiating a security checkpoint in a Damascus suburb while visiting a cancer-stricken relative.
In May, the U.S. government confirmed his 2019 death while he was being held in prison by forces loyal to the ruling authorities.
In addition to his work in Syria, the psychologist had also assisted victims of conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Indonesia, Kosovo, Lebanon, and the U.S.
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