A US court has ordered the government of Iran to pay more than $1.4 billion in punitive and compensatory damages to the family of former FBI agent Robert Levinson, who disappeared during a visit to an Iranian island in March 2007, Reuters reported Monday.
According to the report, in a decision issued late last week, US District Judge Timothy Kelly said that he adopted a special expert’s recommendation that Levinson’s family be awarded $107 million in compensatory damages. The judge awarded punitive damages of $1.3 billion.
In a statement, Levinson’s family welcomed the judge’s ruling.
“This judgment is the first step in the pursuit of justice for Robert Levinson, an American patriot who was kidnapped and subjected to unimaginable suffering for more than 13 years,” Levinson’s family said, according to Reuters.
“Until now, Iran has faced no consequences for its actions. Judge Kelly’s decision won’t bring Bob home, but we hope that it will serve as a warning against further hostage taking by Iran,” the family said, adding: “We intend to find any and every avenue, and pursue all options, to seek justice for Robert Levinson.”
A spokesman for Iran’s mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Levinson vanished in Iran in 2007 while on an unauthorized CIA mission. Iran initially insisted that Levinson is not in the country and that it has no further information about him, but in November of last year it acknowledged for the first time it has an open case before its Revolutionary Court regarding Levinson.
Earlier this year, Levinson’s family said they believed he died in Iranian custody, based on information from US officials. Iran denied that and said the former FBI agent had left the country “years ago.”