Majd Kamalmaz Explained

Majd Kamalmaz
Birth Date:	January 6, 1958
Birth Place:	Syria
Death Date:	2017
Nationality:	American
Known For:	Being detained in Syria
Field:	Psychotherapy

Majd Kamalmaz (January 6, 1958 – after February 2017) was a Syrian-American^[1] psychotherapist from Arlington, Virginia, who was detained in Syria in February 2017 and held until his death was announced on May 18, 2024.

Kamalmaz was running a nonprofit in Lebanon helping refugees deal with trauma when he drove to Syria in mid-February 2017 to visit a relative who had cancer. Once in Damascus, he called his wife to tell her that he had arrived safely. After that, the family never heard from him again.

His children appealed to Donald Trump for help.^{[2] [3] [4]} Kamalmaz was reported to be diabetic.^{[5] [6]}

Kamalmaz's family is a part of the Bring Our Families Home campaign, which advocates for bringing home wrongful detainees and hostages. Kamalmaz's image is featured in a 15-foot mural in Georgetown (Washington, D.C.) along with other Americans wrongfully detained abroad.

On May 18, 2024, The New York Times reported that national security officials told his family that highly credible, classified information indicated that he had died in captivity.^[7]

Miller & Chevalier and SETF Announced Civil Lawsuit Against Assad Regime seeking at least $70 million in punitive and compensatory damages for the unlawful detention, torture, and killing of Majd Kamalmaz.^{[8] [9]}

Notes and References

1. Web site: MAJD KAMALMAZ - Wanted Poster . Federal Bureau of Investigation . 2024-06-06 . 2024-06-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240612050831/https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/kidnap/majd-kamalmaz . live .
2. Web site: 2019-01-22 . Majd Kamalmaz: Daughters of American detained in Syria make public appeal to President Trump for help - CBS News . 2024-07-22 . CBS News . en-US . 2024-06-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240606151533/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/majd-kamalmaz-american-detained-in-syria-daughters-ask-trump-to-help/ . live .
3. Web site: 'His Success Gives Us Hope': Family Calls on Trump to Free Man Imprisoned in Syria. Fox News Insider. "As seen on The Story with Martha MacCallum" January 21, 2019. 10:22 pm. . January 24, 2019 . February 4, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190204001550/https://insider.foxnews.com/2019/01/21/american-held-syria-family-calls-donald-trump-help-release-majd-kamalmaz . live .
4. Web site: McLaughlin . Eliott C. . 2019-01-22 . Family of doctor detained in Syria calls on Trump to broker deal for his release . 2024-07-22 . CNN . en . 2019-01-27 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190127081109/https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/22/middleeast/majd-kamalmaz-doctor-detained-syria-trump/index.html . live .
5. News: Yee . Vivian . 2019-01-20 . An American Disappeared in Syria 2 Years Ago. His Family Wants Trump to Help. . 2024-07-22 . The New York Times . en-US . 0362-4331 . 2019-02-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190204033743/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/20/world/middleeast/syria-prisoner-majd-kamalmaz.html . live .
6. Web site: Nissenbaum . Dion . 2019-01-20 . Seeking Help, Family Breaks Silence on American Missing in Syria . live . Wall Street Journal.
7. News: Goldman . Adam . Benner . Katie . 2024-05-18 . Texas Family Finally Learns Fate of Man Held in Syria . 2024-06-06 . The New York Times . en-US . 0362-4331 . 2024-06-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240604194910/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/18/us/politics/texas-syria-hostage-death-kamalmaz.html . live .
8. Web site: 2024-07-22 . Miller & Chevalier and SETF Announce Civil Lawsuit Against Assad Regime for Unlawful Detention, Torture, and Killing of American Psychotherapist . 2024-07-22 . Miller & Chevalier . en.
9. Web site: 2024-07-22 . Miller & Chevalier and SETF Announce Civil Lawsuit Against Assad Regime for Unlawful Detention, Torture, and Killing of American Psychotherapist . live . 2024-07-22 . Syrian Emergency Task Force . en-US.