Tue Dec 17 08:11:02 UTC 2024: ## Congo Files Criminal Complaints Against Apple Over Conflict Minerals

**Paris/Brussels –** The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has filed criminal complaints against Apple subsidiaries in France and Belgium, accusing the tech giant of using conflict minerals sourced from conflict zones in its supply chain. The complaints allege that Apple is complicit in war crimes and other serious human rights abuses due to its use of tin, tantalum, and tungsten (3T minerals) mined in areas controlled by armed groups.

The DRC argues that Apple knowingly benefits from minerals extracted through violence, including massacres, mass rapes, and looting, and subsequently laundered through international supply chains. The complaints, filed with judicial authorities in France and Belgium, accuse Apple France, Apple Retail France, and Apple Retail Belgium of covering up war crimes, laundering tainted minerals, handling stolen goods, and engaging in deceptive commercial practices.

While Apple denies direct sourcing of conflict minerals and points to its supplier audits and published findings, the Congolese government contends that Apple’s reliance on the ITSCI monitoring scheme, which has been suspended by the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI), a group Apple is a member of, is insufficient to guarantee a clean supply chain. The DRC highlights a U.S. State Department statement expressing concerns about the role of illicit mineral trade in financing conflict in the region.

The choice of France and Belgium as the locations for the complaints reflects their perceived strong emphasis on corporate accountability. The legal actions mark the first criminal complaints by the Congolese state against a major tech company and may set a precedent for future cases. Judicial authorities in both countries will now determine whether to launch full investigations. This action comes after a separate U.S. court case this year dismissed a similar lawsuit against several tech companies, including Apple. The ongoing conflict in eastern Congo, fuelled in part by competition for minerals, has resulted in immense suffering for millions of civilians.

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