Lafarge may face crimes against humanity charges in France

Investing.com | Editor Ahmed Abdulazez Abdulkadir

Published Jan 17, 2024 08:29

PARIS - France's Court of Cassation, the country's supreme court for judicial matters, today ruled that Lafarge, the French cement company now under the Swiss conglomerate Holcim (SIX:HOLN), could be prosecuted for complicity in crimes against humanity. The allegations concern payments made to jihadist groups, including ISIS, to maintain operations at its plant in Syria during the years 2012 to 2014.The court's decision confirmed that Lafarge's financial transactions with the terrorist organizations did occur and amounted to up to €13 million. However, the court also noted that the charges related to the endangerment of employees' lives would not proceed. This aspect of the case was dismissed because French law does not extend to the protection of Syrian workers under these circumstances. This interpretation has been criticized by organizations and plaintiffs as limiting access to justice despite a judicial inquiry revealing significant risks faced by workers.This latest development in France follows an appeal against a May 18, 2022 ruling by the Court of Appeal’s Investigating Chamber and a previous legal action in the United States. In the fall of 2022, Lafarge was ordered by a U.S. court to pay a substantial fine. The U.S. ruling required the company to pay $778 million for its support of ISIS and the al-Nusra Front, acknowledging the gravity of Lafarge's actions in relation to international terrorism.

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