The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has filed a criminal case against Apple’s European subsidiaries, accusing the tech giant of illegally sourcing “blood minerals” from conflict-ridden regions in its supply chain.
The complaint, lodged on Tuesday in courts in Paris and Brussels, alleges that Apple obtained contraband minerals from eastern DRC and Rwanda, areas plagued by conflict and illicit mining activities. These materials, the DRC claims, are used in global supply chains and ultimately incorporated into Apple’s tech devices.
The DRC’s legal representatives have accused Apple’s French and Belgian units of deceptive commercial practices, asserting that they misled consumers into believing the company’s supply chains were free from conflict-tainted resources. The charges encompass war crimes, money laundering, forgery, and consumer deception, according to a statement released by the lawyers.
The case marks a significant escalation in efforts to hold multinational corporations accountable for their supply chain practices. Robert Amsterdam, the DRC’s Washington-based lawyer, described the lawsuit as a “first salvo” in broader legal action.
“Color Apple red, not green. This is a trillion-dollar company that must acknowledge the consequences of its actions,” Amsterdam said. “Enough with denials of accountability and hiding behind the false narrative of supply chain defenses.”
Paris-based lawyer William Bourdon called the complaints “a first step towards holding one of the world’s biggest tech players accountable for its policy of endless enrichment at the expense of crimes staining African supply chains.”
Apple, however, denies the allegations. The company maintains that it carefully verifies the origins of its materials and stated last year that it had “no reasonable basis for concluding” its products contain illegally exported minerals from conflict zones.
Rwanda, which has also been implicated in the allegations, dismissed them as baseless. Rwandan government spokeswoman Yolande Makolo described the DRC’s accusations as a diversionary tactic.
Eastern DRC has long been a flashpoint for violence, exacerbated by competition for its vast mineral wealth, which includes materials critical for the production of computer chips and other tech devices. The region’s instability has worsened since late 2021, with the resurgence of the Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group in North Kivu province.
The DRC’s legal team has highlighted evidence from investigations by the United Nations, the U.S. State Department, and NGOs such as Global Witness, emphasizing the harm caused by these supply chain practices, including child labor, environmental devastation, and the financing of militias.
The lawyers have also called on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to address the issue, urging the EU to take a stronger role in ensuring accountability and ending violence linked to mineral supply chains.
