French prosecutors have dismissed the case brought by the Congolese government against Apple subsidiaries.
The DRC had accused the American technology giant of exploiting blood minerals in its supply chain, as revealed by Reuters.
The DRC brought criminal proceedings against Apple subsidiaries in France and Belgium. Apple, for its part, rejected these accusations, claiming that it had required its suppliers not to use minerals from the DRC or Rwanda.
In a document dated 18 February, the Paris public prosecutor’s office found that the accusations of money laundering and deceptive commercial practices were “not sufficiently well-founded” and closed the case. This means that the Congolese complaint will not be investigated in France. The public prosecutor’s office is advising the Congolese authorities to contact another jurisdiction “with jurisdiction over war crimes”.
Unlike France, Belgium has appointed an examining magistrate to investigate the case.
The DRC’s lawyers, William Bourdon and Vincent Brengarth, described the decision as a “very partial dismissal” and announced their intention to contest it, citing “the extreme seriousness of the facts denounced and the need to identify and prosecute those responsible”.
Source Reuters