The French construction giant Lafarge lost a court battle Tuesday to stop charges against it for complicity in crimes against humanity in Syria.

Lafarge is one of several multinationals being pursued in crimes against humanity cases, though in the past most prosecutions have been abandoned.

Here are some of the most notorious:

- Lafarge -

The cement giant is accused of paying millions of euros to jihadist groups including the Islamic State to keep its cement factory in northern Syria running through the early years of the country's civil war...

- Arms companies in Yemen -

Amnesty called on the International Criminal Court in 2019 to investigate European arms companies for violations of international law that could amount to war crimes...

- Lundin and Sudan -

Sweden's international prosecutor is involved in a long-running investigation into whether the Swedish oil company Lundin had any role in war crimes committed in Sudan between 1997 and 2003...

In 2018 prosecutors were given the green light in principle to indict the chief executive of Lundin and the chairman of the board.

- Shell and Nigeria -

Twelve Nigerians living in the US took the Anglo-Dutch energy giant Shell to court in 2009 over allegations of torture and other human rights abuses in the Niger delta between 1992 and 1995.

But in 2013 the US Supreme Court ruled that the US could not pursue companies for human rights violations abroad.

- Total and Myanmar -...

In 2008 Belgium's appeals court dropped a case brought by Myanmar refugees against Total, which they accused of crimes against humanity by providing logistic and financial support to the junta...

- SNCF and the Holocaust -

In 2007 France's top administrative court said it did not have the jurisdiction to rule on the responsibility of state rail company SNCF for its role in the deportation of Jews during World War II...

- Conglomerates in Nazi Germany -

Three German industrial groups were convicted for crimes against humanity after the end of World War II.