Federal judge issues $20M verdict against Syria for torture of US citizen taken captive in 2019

A Washington, D.C.-based instrumentality steadfast secured a judgement of much than $20 cardinal against the Syrian Arab Republic connected behalf of Sam Goodwin, a St. Louis autochthonal held captive successful the country’s notorious situation strategy for 63 days portion connected a travel to sojourn each state successful the world.

U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly awarded Goodwin $20,201,620 successful damages, astir $10 cardinal each successful compensatory and punitive damages, successful effect to a suit filed nether the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act's "state sponsor of terrorism" exception.

Roughly fractional of the judgement is payable done the U.S. Victims of State-Sponsored Terrorism Fund, which is financed by sanctions proceeds and different penalties. Depending connected the magnitude of wealth successful the fund, Goodwin could get a definite percent of compensatory damages implicit respective years.

Goodwin spoke with Fox News Digital up of the merchandise of his book, "Saving Sam: The True Story of an American's Disappearance successful Syria and His Family's Extraordinary Fight to Bring Him Home." (Courtesy of Sam Goodwin)

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"Nations that interruption planetary quality rights standards indispensable look consequences, and courageous survivors similar Sam assistance guarantee the satellite does not disregard the atrocities perpetrated by the Assad regime," said Kirby Behre, a subordinate of Miller & Chevalier's litigation section and pb counsel for Goodwin.

"While thing tin wholly compensate for Sam's suffering, this represents yet different almighty measurement guardant successful the broader effort to face those liable for such sedate injustices."

Goodwin entered war-torn Syria from Iraq successful 2019 arsenic portion of a years-long quest to sojourn each state successful the world.

Sam Goodwin successful the Sahara Desert successful Morocco (left) and flying implicit Mount Everest (right) (Sam Goodwin)

He stayed successful Qamishli, a metropolis connected the Turkey-Syria border, which helium believed was nether the power of the U.S.-backed Kurds.

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The erstwhile Division I collegiate hockey subordinate was detained by men successful subject uniforms astatine a roundabout not acold from his edifice portion connected FaceTime with his mother, Ann. 

"I was taken into the basement of a installation that I present cognize is called Syria's Military Intelligence [Branch] fig 215, a installation notoriously known for lodging governmental prisoners, and I was held present successful solitary confinement for 27 days," Goodwin told Fox News Digital past twelvemonth up of the merchandise of his book, "Saving Sam: The True Story of an American's Disappearance successful Syria and His Family's Extraordinary Fight to Bring Him Home."

"The lone quality enactment I had was for a fewer seconds successful the greeting and evening erstwhile the guards who brought breadstuff and boiled potatoes and water."

A side-by-side presumption of Sam Goodwin astatine the Lebanon-Syria borderline aft his merchandise and Branch 215. (Sam Goodwin/Fox News Digital Ashley Carnahan)

His lawyers said helium was tortured astatine Branch 215 by the now-ousted authorities of erstwhile Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad and subjected to prolonged interrogation. At 1 point, Goodwin’s interrogator threatened to manus him implicit to ISIS aft helium refused to admit to accusations of being a spy.

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His merchandise was secured by General Abbas Ibrahim, past Lebanon’s apical information official, who was enactment successful interaction with the household by Joseph Abbas, the uncle of Goodwin’s sister’s person and erstwhile assemblage roommate.

His household worked tirelessly to bring him home, collaborating with the FBI, CIA, State Department, the peculiar statesmanlike envoy for hostage affairs, Vatican envoys, Middle East experts and others.

"This judgement is astir acold much than what happened to me. It's a basal for anyone who has suffered quality rights abuses astir the world. I anticipation it gives different victims the courageousness to talk up and, supra all, serves arsenic a informing that specified crimes volition not beryllium tolerated oregon forgotten," Goodwin told Fox News Digital successful a statement.

Sam Goodwin (left), Gen. Abbas Ibrahim (middle) and Joseph Abbas (right) conscionable successful Lebanon. (Sam Goodwin)

Miller & Chevalier has secured different judgments against the Syrian Arab Republic, including 1 for astir $50 cardinal successful 2023 for Kevin Dawes, different American national who was illegally arrested, imprisoned and tortured successful Syria.

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In July, it filed a suit connected behalf of the family of Dr. Majd Kamalmaz, a psychotherapist and humanitarian who was detained astatine a authorities checkpoint successful Damascus, Syria, successful 2017, accusing the Syrian Arab Republic of abducting, torturing and sidesplitting him.