The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has filed a criminal lawsuit against Apple’s European subsidiaries, accusing the tech giant of illegally sourcing “blood minerals” from conflict zones in the country’s east and Rwanda. The complaint, filed on Tuesday, claims that Apple has purchased contraband minerals that have been mined illegally, fueling violence and contributing to human rights abuses in these regions.
The DRC alleges that these minerals, which are mined in war-torn areas, are integrated into global supply chains, eventually ending up in tech products such as smartphones and computer chips. The complaint, filed in Paris and Brussels, includes serious charges such as war crimes, money laundering, forgery, and deception. The DRC’s legal team, including lawyers from Washington, Paris, and Brussels, has argued that Apple and its subsidiaries used deceptive commercial practices to falsely assure consumers that their supply chains were free from conflict minerals.
Robert Amsterdam, the DRC’s lawyer, emphasized the gravity of the case, describing it as the “first salvo” in a series of judicial actions aimed at holding Apple accountable for its role in the alleged illegal mineral trade. “It is a trillion-dollar company that must be assumed to know the consequences of its actions,” Amsterdam stated, urging for an end to Apple’s denials.
The lawsuit comes after previous attempts to address the issue. Last April, the DRC’s legal team reached out to Apple CEO Tim Cook, as well as Apple subsidiaries in France, to inquire about the potential inclusion of illegally sourced minerals in their supply chain. However, the company reportedly failed to provide satisfactory responses.
The case also draws attention to the broader impact of illegal mining activities in the DRC’s eastern regions. According to the DRC’s legal representatives, these practices have fueled violence, financed militias and terrorist groups, contributed to forced child labor, and caused widespread environmental destruction. Investigations by the United Nations, the U.S. State Department, and organizations like Global Witness have documented the scale of the problem, further supporting the allegations.
In addition to the lawsuit, the DRC’s legal team has written to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, requesting a dialogue on the EU’s role in addressing the issue and helping to end the violence surrounding mineral supply chains in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Apple has denied the allegations, stating last year that it had “no reasonable basis for concluding” that its products contain illegally exported minerals from conflict zones. The company has maintained that it carefully verifies the origin of materials used in its products. Meanwhile, the Rwandan government has rejected the claims, dismissing them as unfounded.
The DRC’s mineral-rich eastern region has been plagued by violence since the 1990s, with tensions escalating after a renewed offensive by Rwandan-backed M23 rebels in 2021. The DRC has accused Rwanda of using the M23 rebels to gain control over the resource-rich province of North Kivu.
The ongoing legal battle highlights the growing international scrutiny over the ethics of global supply chains, especially regarding the sourcing of materials from conflict zones.
