Do U.S. courts have jurisdiction over Iraq for claims involving
hostage-taking and torture that occurred during Saddam Hussein's
regime? Oral argument today (Monday, April 20) at the U.S. Supreme Court in a consolidated case that includes Republic of Iraq v. Beaty and Republic of Iraq v. Simon.
Both cases go back to the first Gulf War in 1991. The first, Republic of Iraq v. Beaty, was brought by the children of Kenneth Beaty and William Barloon, U.S. citizens who were living in Kuwait after the Persian Gulf War ended in 1991. Both were detained by Iraqi authorities and subjected to squalid conditions and beatings. The other, Republic of Iraq v. Simon, involves Robert Simon, a CBS news reporter, and his cameraman, Roberto Alvarez. Both were kidnapped and tortured by Iraq in 1991.
The law in question is the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) that permits lawsuits against state sponsors of terrorism "for personal injury or death that was caused by," among other things, torture and hostage-taking.
SCOTUSblog
Supreme Court Argument Calendar
Both cases go back to the first Gulf War in 1991. The first, Republic of Iraq v. Beaty, was brought by the children of Kenneth Beaty and William Barloon, U.S. citizens who were living in Kuwait after the Persian Gulf War ended in 1991. Both were detained by Iraqi authorities and subjected to squalid conditions and beatings. The other, Republic of Iraq v. Simon, involves Robert Simon, a CBS news reporter, and his cameraman, Roberto Alvarez. Both were kidnapped and tortured by Iraq in 1991.
The law in question is the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) that permits lawsuits against state sponsors of terrorism "for personal injury or death that was caused by," among other things, torture and hostage-taking.
SCOTUSblog
Supreme Court Argument Calendar
