Historic Lundin Oil trial concludes today – Civil Rights Defenders ready to provide expert analysis

"This is a decisive moment, not only for the affected individuals and communities in South Sudan, but for international law and the ability to hold corporate executives accountable for crimes committed in conflict-affected areas," says Ebony Wade, legal advisor at Civil Rights Defenders.

Landmark corporate accountability case

The trial against Ian Lundin and Alexandre Schneiter is the largest and longest-running case in Swedish history and has attracted significant international attention. The defendants are charged with complicity in serious violations of international humanitarian law between 1999 and 2003 in what is now South Sudan. According to the prosecution, thousands of people were killed and even greater numbers displaced when the Sudanese military and allied militias carried out attacks in areas connected to the company’s oil operations.

Civil Rights Defenders has monitored the trial from inside the courtroom and can provide commentary and analysis. Read our trial reports here.

A chance for justice for victims

Throughout the proceedings, the court has examined a vast body of evidence, including statements from plaintiffs and survivors, as well as NGO reports and the company’s own internal documents. In court, the testimonies of those affected have been heard, as well as those of the defendants, Ian Lundin and Alexandre Schneiter. Carl Bildt, former board member of Lundin Oil and former Prime Minister of Sweden, also testified as a witness in the trial.

Today, the trial concludes, and the court will announce the date of the verdict.

"Behind each piece of evidence are people who have lived with the consequences of these events for many years. Only 32 of the thousands affected have had the opportunity to share their stories in Stockholm District Court. The question now is whether this legal process can also provide a form of redress for them," says Ebony Wade, legal advisor at Civil Rights Defenders.

"At this final stage, the questions the court must address are clear: how individual criminal responsibility should be assessed and how the evidence should be evaluated. At the same time, the outcome will have bearing on how similar cases, ultimately concerning people affected by serious human rights abuses, may be handled in the future," says Ebony Wade, legal advisor at Civil Rights Defenders.

Available for interview

Ebony Wade has previously been interviewed about the case by, among others, TT News Agency, The Guardian, Le Temps, and the BBC. She is available for interviews regarding:

• What is at stake in the final stage of the trial
• How the case has unfolded in the courtroom
• The key legal questions ahead of the verdict
• Perspectives from affected communities in South Sudan

Contact

Please, contact our press officer to arrange an interview.

+46 (0)76 576 27 62

press@crd.org