Canadian attorneys filed a case against Iran over bringing down Ukrainian aircraft
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Roshan Amiri
- . February 8, 2020
- . Update: February 18, 2020 7:47 am
Canadian attorneys are looking for class-action status in a suit on behalf of the casualties on board a Ukrainian plane brought down over Tehran a month ago.
Iran has confirmed its missiles brought down the Ukrainian plane unintentionally on Jan. 8, which killed 176 people on board, including 57 Canadians.
Iran’s leader and the Revolutionary Guards are defendants in the suit. The lead offended party for the situation is unknown, distinguished plainly as John Doe, and described as close family to a victim known as Jack Doe.
The case states that John Doe’s identity must be ensured as it risks that “his Iranian family would be put in danger of death by the Iranian regime.” Iranian authorities didn’t give remarks on Friday as the government offices are closed.
The lawsuit asserts that the bringing down of the plane was a deliberate act of terrorism. Other than Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, others mentioned in the case are top administrators of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including general Amirali Hajizadeh, who is liable for bringing down the plane.
Jonah Arnold is co-lead counsel with his dad Mark Arnold, who has represented clients in few suits against Iran, including a 2017 case that prompted the seizing of some Iranian assets in Canada. It was uncertain whether Iran has any assets in Canada. Arnold told that the suit would almost certainly unfurl over the years, and any judgment could be restored and implemented in the future. The attorneys are seeking at least C$1.5 billion in damages.
Foreign states are not typically under jurisdiction of the department of Canadian courts. A 2012 Canadian law constrained that invulnerability for nations Ottawa records as “foreign state supporters of terror groups,” who are currently in Iran and Syria.
The lawsuit was documented Jan. 24 in Toronto; however, it isn’t evident whether it has been served on claimants in Iran. Global Affairs Canada didn’t promptly remark, though, Arnold stated the Canadian government is required to guarantee that follows, and that he has gotten affirmation that the suit is in progress. To find more about Arab News Latest, Arab Politics News.
Article Credit: The National/Reuters
