The family of Majd Kamalmaz, an American psychotherapist who disappeared during a trip to Syria in 2017, has filed a lawsuit in the US federal court against the regime of Syrian President Bashar Al Assad.
The lawsuit seeks at least $70 million in punitive and compensatory damages from the Assad regime for the “unlawful detention, torture, and killing” of Dr Kamalmaz, who was 59 when he disappeared.
For years, his wife Hassnaa Kamalmaz and their children called on the regime to release him and desperately tried to raise awareness of his case in the US and abroad.
In May, the family revealed that US intelligence services had told them that in all likelihood, Dr Kamalmaz had died years earlier in regime custody.
In June, the US State Department formally acknowledged his death.
“We support Majd’s family and the families of all those who are missing or unjustly detained in Syria in their quest for accountability,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at the time.
According to the lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, Dr Kamalmaz was kidnapped by the regime at a checkpoint in Mezzeh and then taken to the Mezzeh Military Airport, which the suit alleges is “known for the torture and murder of perceived enemies of the Syrian regime".
The suit states that the Kamalmaz family is “entitled to recover compensatory damages from Syria for economic losses resulting from the premature death of Mr Kamalmaz, including lost anticipated earnings.
“The amount of these compensatory damages shall be determined at trial,” the lawsuit states.
Dr Kamalmaz was an expert in post-traumatic stress disorder and spent much of his career helping people affected by conflict.
He had worked in countries including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Indonesia, as well as in the US, where in 2005 he travelled to Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina.
At the time of his disappearance, Dr Kamalmaz was working in Lebanon, where he was running a project researching mental trauma in young Syrian refugees who had fled the civil war.
He also ran a mental health and counselling centre in Abu Dhabi.
Dr Kamalmaz was one of at least two Americans believed to be in Syrian regime detention. The other is journalist Austin Tice, who disappeared in 2012.
The family has made it their mission to hold the Syrian regime accountable.
“I know that if my father was with me right now, he would not rest until all men, women and children are released from the Assad regime's concentration camps,” Dr Kamalmaz's daughter Maryam Kamalmaz said.
“In his honour, we plan to hold the regime fully accountable for its crimes against Americans and Syrians alike, and we call on the US Senate to urgently pass the Assad Anti-Normalisation Act for the sake of Americans still held by this criminal regime.”
Iftar programme at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding
Established in 1998, the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding was created with a vision to teach residents about the traditions and customs of the UAE. Its motto is ‘open doors, open minds’. All year-round, visitors can sign up for a traditional Emirati breakfast, lunch or dinner meal, as well as a range of walking tours, including ones to sites such as the Jumeirah Mosque or Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.
Every year during Ramadan, an iftar programme is rolled out. This allows guests to break their fast with the centre’s presenters, visit a nearby mosque and observe their guides while they pray. These events last for about two hours and are open to the public, or can be booked for a private event.
Until the end of Ramadan, the iftar events take place from 7pm until 9pm, from Saturday to Thursday. Advanced booking is required.
For more details, email openminds@cultures.ae or visit www.cultures.ae
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20NOTHING%20PHONE%20(2)
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
The biog
Age: 23
Occupation: Founder of the Studio, formerly an analyst at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi
Education: Bachelor of science in industrial engineering
Favourite hobby: playing the piano
Favourite quote: "There is a key to every door and a dawn to every dark night"
Family: Married and with a daughter
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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MATCH INFO
Manchester United v Brighton, Sunday, 6pm UAE
MATCH INFO
Day 2 at Mount Maunganui
England 353
Stokes 91, Denly 74, Southee 4-88
New Zealand 144-4
Williamson 51, S Curran 2-28
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, Group B
Barcelona v Inter Milan
Camp Nou, Barcelona
Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
In numbers
- Number of children under five will fall from 681 million in 2017 to 401m in 2100
- Over-80s will rise from 141m in 2017 to 866m in 2100
- Nigeria will become the world’s second most populous country with 791m by 2100, behind India
- China will fall dramatically from a peak of 2.4 billion in 2024 to 732 million by 2100
- an average of 2.1 children per woman is required to sustain population growth