The Democratic Republic of Congo has filed criminal complaints in France and Belgium against subsidiaries of Apple, accusing the tech giant of using conflict minerals.
Lawyers acting on behalf of the Congolese government argue that Apple is complicit in crimes committed by armed groups controlling some of the mines in eastern DR Congo.
Apple has strongly denied the allegations, asserting that it is “deeply committed to responsible sourcing” of minerals.
Authorities in France and Belgium are now reviewing whether there is sufficient evidence to pursue the legal action further.
In their statement, the DR Congo’s lawyers highlighted that Apple’s supply chain was tainted by “blood minerals.”
They claimed that tin, tantalum, and tungsten are extracted from conflict zones, then “laundered through international supply chains,” fueling violence, funding militias, and contributing to forced child labour and environmental destruction.
Apple has rejected these accusations, emphasising its commitment to the highest industry standards. A spokesperson told the BBC,
“As conflict in the region escalated earlier this year, we notified our suppliers that their smelters and refiners must suspend sourcing tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold from the DRC and Rwanda. We took this action because we were concerned that independent auditors and industry certification mechanisms could no longer meet our high standards.”
The eastern DR Congo is a significant source of minerals, and the global demand for them has contributed to decades of conflict. Rights groups have long claimed that minerals from both legitimate and armed group-run mines are transported to neighbouring Rwanda and end up in products like phones and computers.
Rwanda has dismissed the Congolese government’s legal action as a media stunt and denied selling conflict minerals to Apple.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
Follow us on:
