Human Rights & Counterterrorism Lawsuits
Helping Victims of Terrorism and Human Rights Abuses Fight Back
JASTA Lawsuit Claims
Team Lead
The intersection of counter terrorism and protecting human rights is one of the most complex areas of international humanitarian law. Victims of terrorist attacks and human rights abuses have powerful legal tools, including the ability to sue state sponsors of terror and others who have harmed them.
Oberheiden P.C.‘s experienced attorneys fight for victims, navigating the complexities of U.S. law to secure justice and accountability. If you or a loved one has been harmed, contact Oberheiden P.C. for an initial case consultation. We have the knowledge and experience required to help you understand your legal rights, and we can file a human rights or counterterrorism lawsuit on your behalf if warranted.
Oberheiden P.C. Fights for Victims and Their Families
In the modern world, acts of terror, human trafficking, and other crimes against humanity often are not isolated incidents. They are often sophisticated, well-funded operations. Behind the perpetrators on the front lines, there is frequently a network of financial enablers that facilitate and profit from this suffering.
At Oberheiden P.C., we believe the most effective way to fight these criminal networks is to disrupt their financial lifelines.
We are available to help victims and families fight to hold these “aiders and abettors” accountable. We use powerful U.S. and international standards and laws to pursue civil justice for victims. Our strategy is simple: we target the financiers and profiteers who enable terrorists and warlords, and we fight to redirect the money used to fund these atrocities to compensate the victims and survivors.
H3: Representing Victims of Atrocity
Oberheiden P.C. provides aggressive legal representation and support for victims and survivors of the most severe international crimes. We are prepared to represent individuals and families impacted by:
- International Terrorist Attacks: Victims and families who have suffered injury or loss due to terrorist acts.
- Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery: Individuals subjected to forced labor, sexual exploitation, and other forms of modern slavery.
- Torture and Extrajudicial Killings: Victims of state-sanctioned torture, summary executions, and other severe abuses.
- Systematic Sexual Violence: Using mass rape and sexual assault as a calculated weapon of war and terror.
- Chemical Weapons Attacks: Civilians harmed by the unlawful deployment of chemical agents in conflict zones.
- Genocide and Other Crimes Against Humanity: Victims of widespread, systematic attacks on civil society.
The Legal Framework: How We Hold Enablers Accountable
Holding a global corporation or a foreign state accountable in a U.S. court is one of the most complex challenges in the legal field. It requires a deep and practical understanding of a specific set of federal laws, including:
The Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA)
This powerful law provides a private right of action for U.S. nationals (and their families) who are injured by an act of international terrorism. This is the primary measure used to sue banks, corporations, and organizations that “aid and abet, by knowingly providing substantial assistance,” or conspire with a terrorist organization.
The Foreign Sovereign Immunity Act (FSIA)
Generally, foreign countries are immune from lawsuits in U.S. courts. However, the FSIA includes a critical “terrorism exception.” This exception allows victims to sue designated “State Sponsors of Terrorism” for acts of torture, hostage-taking, aircraft sabotage, and extrajudicial killings.
The Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA)
Passed in 2016, JASTA significantly amended the FSIA. This law narrows the scope of foreign sovereign immunity, allowing U.S. nationals to pursue civil claims against any foreign state—not just those designated as “State Sponsors of Terrorism”—for acts of international terrorism that occur on U.S. soil.
The Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA)
The TVPA allows victims of human trafficking to report trafficking and bring civil lawsuits in federal court against their traffickers and anyone who “knowingly benefits, financially or by receiving anything of value,” from participation in a human trafficking venture. This allows us to target the businesses, illicit enterprises, and individuals who profit from modern slavery.
Oberheiden P.C. Has a Global Commitment to Justice
Oberheiden P.C. is committed to seeking justice for victims and their families. We believe in two cardinal principles:
- The Right to Access Justice: Every person, regardless of their location, deserves effective access to justice.
- The Equality of All Persons: Justice should not be rationed based on the artificial classifications societies create. We represent clients without regard to their race, religion, gender, age, nationality, or wealth.
No person, corporation, bank, or government should possess “privileges and immunities” that allow them to profit from or enable crimes that shock the conscience. They cannot deny due process to victims and families and they cannot hide behind international boundaries.
Contact Oberheiden P.C. for a Confidential Consultation About Human Rights & Counterterrorism Lawsuits
If you or a loved one is a victim of an international terrorist attack, human trafficking, or other serious crime against humanity, you have legal rights. Our lawyers understand the implications of the crimes described above. We are committed to supporting efforts to enforce counterterrorism laws and uphold international human rights laws. Contact Oberheiden P.C.’s experienced legal team today.
- JASTA Lawsuit Claims
- What is International Terrorism Litigation?
- Can I Claim Compensation if My Loved One was Injured or Killed Through an Act of Terrorism?
- Lawsuits for Terrorist Attacks
- Anti-Terrorism Lawsuits
- Kurdish Chemical Weapons Lawsuits
- International Hotel Bombing Lawsuits
- Hamas Terrorist Attack Lawsuits
- Gold Star and Veteran Families’ Lawsuits
- October 7 Atrocities
- U.S. Embassy Bombings
