Lafarge, a subsidiary of cement maker Holcim, is about to face trial in France for allegedly financing terrorism and violating European sanctions to maintain its Syrian plant operating, in response to France’s anti-terrorism prosecutor and a lead plaintiff.
Lafarge has been the topic of an investigation into its operations in Syria since 2016, some of the intensive company felony proceedings in current French authorized historical past.
Investigative judges in Paris gave the order for Lafarge to face trial on Wednesday.
In an announcement to Reuters on Thursday, Lafarge stated it acknowledged the choice of the investigating judges.
Holcim shares fell practically 2% in late Wednesday buying and selling after the news, earlier than recovering a bit to shut 0.7% decrease.
Investigations proceed into allegations that Lafarge was complicit in crimes in opposition to humanity, a part of the broader probe into how the group stored its manufacturing unit operating in Syria after struggle broke out in 2011, stated the anti-corruption group Sherpa, which introduced the felony criticism in opposition to Lafarge.
France’s highest court docket in January rejected a request from Lafarge that expenses of complicity in crimes in opposition to humanity be dropped from the investigation.
The sanctions breach expenses relate to a European ban on monetary or business hyperlinks to the Daesh terrorist group, Sherpa stated.
In a separate investigation within the United States, Lafarge admitted in 2022 that its Syrian subsidiary paid teams designated by Washington as terrorists, together with Daesh, to assist shield workers on the plant in a rustic shaken by years of civil struggle.
Source: www.dailysabah.com