U.S. Court: Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act

CASE STATUS

Active

COUNTRY

Syria

On July 9, 2016, the Center for Justice & Accountability (CJA) and co-counsel Shearman & Sterling LLP filed a lawsuit against the government of Syria for the murder of American journalist Marie Colvin. The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on behalf of Marie Colvin’s sister, Cathleen Colvin; her niece, Justine Araya-Colvin; and other surviving family members. Colvin was killed on February 22, 2012, when Syrian forces intercepted her broadcasts in the besieged city of Homs and shelled her position with artillery.

The lawsuit was filed under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, a federal law that permits victims to sue designated state-sponsors of terrorism, like Syria, for the murder of U.S. citizens.

Read the formal complaint here.