Swedish oil executives face court for alleged complicity in Sudanese war crimes

Two Swedish oil executives are being tried for their alleged complicity in Sudanese war crimes 20 years ago.

As reported by AP, Swedish prosecutors claim that the former chairman and CEO of Lundin Oil, Ian Lundin and Alex Schneiter supported the Sudanese government of former dictator Omar al-Bashir, who was ousted in an April 2019 popular uprising.

The trial against the executives started on September 5, in which they are accused of having created “the necessary conditions for the subsidiary’s operations by conducting warfare in a way that entailed the Sudanese military and regime-allied militia systematically attacking civilians or at least carrying out systematic attacks in violation of the principles of distinction and proportionality”.

According to Reuters, the prosecution further argues, that the company has asked the Khartoum administration to secure a potential oilfield in an area of what is now South Sudan, understanding full well that this would mean the seizing of the area by force.

Both defendants reject the accusations, calling them “completely false”.