International Prisoner Cases

Numerous Americans are wrongfully arrested and imprisoned abroad each year.  Securing the release of these individuals requires a complex balance of international diplomacy, domestic advocacy, and media strategy and coordination.

Gilbert LLP has successfully obtained the release of numerous U.S. citizens imprisoned abroad, using its strategic expertise and innovative approach to resolve disputes involving the U.S. and some of its foremost political adversaries, including Iran and Cuba.  Following their release, Gilbert has gone on to represent such individuals in pursuing claims in U.S. courts against the governments responsible for their wrongful detention and other third parties, obtaining judgments and other recoveries in the many tens of millions of dollars.

We are currently working with Amir Hekmati, a former U.S. Marine initially sentenced to death and imprisoned for 5 years in Iran.  After helping free Amir from prison in 2016, we secured a $63.5 million judgment against the Government of Iran in U.S. federal court and are now pursuing compensation from the United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund (USVSST Fund) on his behalf.  We are also currently working with Nizar Zakka, who spent nearly 4 years in an Iranian prison, to hold accountable the individuals who improperly sent him into harm’s way.