The three men, who are identified as "John Does," filed an 11-count lawsuit against former intelligence official Parviz Sabeti Feb. 10 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, alleging he was the architect of the "institutionalization of torture" in Iran, as well as the system that caused their detention and denial of due process rights which resulted prison time due to their perceived political affiliations.
Court records show that the lawsuit was served on Sabeti on Thursday at his home in Windermere, Florida, describing him as wearing a "blue polo shirt, black shorts" and "balding with gray hair and glasses."
"At all relevant times, the defendant planned, supervised and advocated or the arrest, detention and the extended torture of perceived political opponents of the Shah's repressive regime — frequently merely artists, writers, playwrights, and students — in violation of laws against torture and crimes against humanity," the complaint said. "Defendant used violence and intimidation as a means of maintaining political power. Plaintiffs were among his many victims."
Counts in the complaint include Violations of the Torture Victim Protection Act, Alien Tort Claims Act, assault, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The plaintiffs — who are 85, 72 and 68 years old — requested to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation.
The lawsuit claims that Sabeti was a top official with the "Sazman-e Ettela'at va Amniyat-e Keshvar" organization in Iran, or SAVAK, which is described as "an intelligence organization and the secret police of the government of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the former Shah of Iran," who was deposed following the country's Islamic revolution in 1979.
At the time, plaintiffs alleged that SAVAK was a participant in Iran's "Committee to Fight Terrorism or the Joint Anti-Sabotage Committee," which was created to combat terrorism, although they say the committee actually was designed to control the public by detaining and torturing people.
Some of the abuse endured by the plaintiffs included whippings, beatings and stress positions, according to the complaint. In addition, they alleged they were also electrocuted and forced to use the "Apollo," a torture device invented by SAVAK, as well as had weights hung from their genitals.
As the deputy director of SAVAK, Sabeti was aware and approved the organization's activities, including the use of torture against thousands of people, according to the complaint.
SAVAK operations also allegedly extended to the U.S., where they intimidated students and influenced policymakers.
The three Does said they were arrested by members of SAVAK and subsequently tortured before being sent to prison in the 1970s. One plaintiff, identified as John Doe III, was in high school at the time and was arrested after one of his classmates provided his name as a contact, according to the complaint, adding that he was accused of being a part of a group that espoused anti-shah views.
Despite living in relative obscurity for the last four decades, Sabeti was tracked down by the plaintiffs after he reemerged through the production of a seven-and-a-half hour documentary following mass demonstrations against the Islamic Republic in 2023, according to the suit.
The plaintiffs claimed Sabeit used the documentary to defend his tenure in SAVAK and are now trying to hold him accountable, saying that the human rights abuses committed under the shah's regime have a risk of being forgotten.
"Plaintiffs reasonably fear the monarchist movement may gain momentum and that the SAVAK may be restored as a security force in Iran, thereby foreclosing any chance of pursuing these claims during their lifetime," the complaint said. "As a result, despite their continuing fear of reprisal, plaintiffs have brought their claims now."
Representatives for the plaintiffs declined to comment and the defendant did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday.
The plaintiffs are represented by Michelle J Correll of Correll Law PA and Sara C. Colon and Thomasin K. Bernhardt of Brown Neri Smith & Khan LLP.
Defendant's counsel information could not be immediately determined on Friday.
The case is John Doe I et al. v. Parviz Sabeti, case number 6:25-cv-00219, in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.
--Editing by Vaqas Asghar.
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