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Article

4 Apr 2014

Author:
Nadia Bernaz (Middlesex University), Rights as Usual

Corporate Accountability for Human Rights Violations in Countries in Transition

[A]t the 9 Bedford Row International Conference on “Human Rights in Post-Revolution States”... [m]y talk was on “Corporate Accountability for Human Rights Violations in Countries in Transition”. The area of corporate accountability and transitional justice is relatively under explored...I...present[ed] a selection of cases...to highlight the type of issues that are likely to arise when trying to hold corporations, or business people, accountable for human rights violations in countries that have transitioned from conflict to peace, or from authoritarian rule to democracy...Post World War II trials against industrialists and bankers in US zone of occupation in Germany; The South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s findings on business...; The Apartheid cases before US federal courts...; The Van Anraat case in the Netherlands; The ongoing Amesys and Qosmos cases in France...[W]here to draw the line between making profit by doing business with a criminal regime, and being criminally or civilly liable?..[U]nfortunately these cases provide no definite answers.

Part of the following timelines

Médecins Sans Frontières

France: FIDH & LDH file criminal complaint against Amesys alleging complicity in human rights violations committed by Gaddafi regime in Libya

USA: Corporate speakers at Silicon Valley Human Rights Conference acknowledge need for greater consideration for human rights

France: Une information judiciaire ouverte suite à une plainte de 2 ONG accusant la société Amesys de complicité d’actes de torture en Libye

Resource Centre launches new briefing - highlights human rights lawsuits against companies over alleged abuses in over 25 countries

France : La justice ordonne la poursuite de l’enquête accusant Amesys de «complicité de torture» sous le régime de Kadhafi

James Dunne : « Pendant des années, mon travail a servi à des tyrans »

Report analyses barriers to access judicial remedy for victims of human rights abuses by companies & makes recommendations

France : Le gouvernement encadrera l’exportation des logiciels de surveillance par les entreprises comme Amesys & Qosmos vers les dictatures

Businesses across the Middle East must put human rights above the bottom line (press release)

Corporate Legal Accountability Quarterly Bulletin – Issue 11, December 2013

Apartheid reparations lawsuits (re So. Africa)

Amesys lawsuit (re Libya)

Qosmos lawsuit (re Syria)