Panamanian ex-dictator Noriega sues 'Call of Duty' game publisher

PANAMA CITY, Panama, July 16 (UPI) -- Panama's ex-dictator Manuel Noriega has filed a lawsuit against the "Call of Duty" video games publisher, alleging his character was used without his permission.

In Activision's 2012 "Black Ops II" edition, the Noriega character works with the CIA to capture a Nicaraguan terrorist but ultimately betrays the CIA and becomes a target himself.

The 13-page lawsuit claims that the game portrayed him as a "kidnapper, murderer and enemy of the state." He is seeking lost profits and damages, asserting that his character contributed to the game's success.

An interactive entertainment lawyer, Jas Purewal, explained to the BBC that Noriega's case hinges on the American legal system's belief that individuals can only be "depicted with their permission, which in practice means payment of a fee. But Noriega isn't a U.S. citizen or even a resident. This means that his legal claim becomes questionable, because it's unclear what legal basis he can actually bring a case against Activision."

There was no comment available from Activision.