A US federal judge has awarded a Washington Post journalist and his family nearly 180 million dollars (NZ$280m) in their lawsuit against Iran over his 544 days in captivity and torture while being held on internationally criticised espionage charges.

The order in the case filed by Jason Rezaian comes nearly a week after Iranian officials shut down its internet and launched a security crackdown on protesters angered by government-set gasoline prices sharply rising.

As internet access has slowly trickled back on, the US government sanctioned Iran’s telecommunications minister in response to the internet shutdown.

US District Judge Richard J Leon in Washington entered the judgment in Rezaian’s case, describing how authorities in Iran denied the journalist sleep, medical care and abused him during his imprisonment.

“Iran seized Jason, threatened to kill Jason, and did so with the goal of compelling the United States to free Iranian prisoners as a condition of Jason’s release,” Leon said in his ruling. (NAN)