On 5th September 2023, the trial in Stockholm began for Ian Lundin and Alex Schneiter. As former chairman respectively former CEO of the Swedish company Lundin Petroleum, the two executives are accused of complicity in war crimes in Sudan between 1999 and 2003.
During this time, the Sudanese army and allied armed groups attacked civilians in the vicinity of an oil deposit discovered by Lundin Petroleum – apparently aiming to control the area. Prosecutors regard these attacks as violation of international humanitarian law. The defendants as well as Lundin Petroleum reject the accusations to have benefited from this criminal activity.
More information on the topic is available, among other sources, in the new podcast by PAX and Global Idé: Lundin War Crimes Trial. It engages, among other topics, with the foundations of the conflict, the trial itself and its relevance for future prosecution of criminal behaviour by private companies.
The podcast is available for free on Spotify.