In May the court’s Justice Edward Belobaba ruled the downing of a commercial airplane was an international act of terrorism that killed 55 Canadians and 35 permanent residents.
Families of the victims who have filed a civil lawsuit against Iran will be awarded $1 million for the loss of guidance, care and companionship, and $6 million for pain and suffering, CBC reported citing court’s decision. Some $100 million in punitive damages will be shared by the estates of the six victims.
The lawyer of the families Mark Arnold said he will seek to seize Iranian assets in Canada and abroad to pay compensation.
Iran rejected May’s ruling stating it lacked legitimate evidence. Iran also did not defend itself in court which made it a default judgment.
All 176 passengers and crew perished on January 8, 2020, when the flight from Iran to Ukraine was shot down shortly after taking off from Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport. After initially denying responsibility, Iran’s government admitted that its military had shot down the Boeing 737-800 jet, having mistaken the aircraft for a cruise missile.