France, probe into BNP Paribas over its role in Sudan
동서경제신문
승인
2020.09.27 03:25
의견
0
On 24th Sept. Reuter reported Paris prosecutors have opened an investigation into French bank BNP Paribas over allegations of complicity in crimes against humanity in Sudan, a lawyer and Paris-based International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) said
The probe comes after nine Sudanese plaintiffs, who said they have been victims of rights abuses by ousted Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir’s former government of Sudan, filed a legal complaint last year against BNP Paribas.
The plaintiffs allege the French bank was complicit in crimes against humanity because it provided financial services for the Sudanese government.
They argue that in a U.S. sanctions violations case the U.S. Department of Justice described BNP Paribas as Sudan’s de facto central bank from 1997 to 2007 because it gave the Sudanese government access to international money markets, and the means to pay staff, the military and security forces.
Conflict in Sudan’s Darfur region ignited in 2003 where Sudanese forces waged a campaign of violence that killed more than 300,000 people.
The International Criminal Court in The Hague has since characterized the campaign as war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
FIDH said on Twitter it helped the plaintiffs to file the complaint.
BNP Paribas said the bank had no information regarding the proceedings and was therefore not in a position to comment.
저작권자 ⓒ 동서경제신문, 무단 전재 및 재배포 금지