"Aiding and abetting war crimes in Yemen: Criminal complaint submitted against French arms companies", 2 June 2022

Today, Mwatana for Human Rights, the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) and Sherpa submitted a criminal complaint with the Paris Judiciary Tribunal against French arms companies with the support of Amnesty International France. The organizations are calling for the initiation of a criminal investigation into the arms companies Dassault Aviation, Thales, and MBDA France for their possible complicity in alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Yemen, potentially enabled by their arms exports to Saudi Arabia (SA) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

...There is an abundance of public documentation from international organizations indicating that throughout the conflict, the Coalition has conducted countless attacks on civilians, as well as civilian homes, markets, hospitals and schools...

Despite the overwhelming evidence of indiscriminate attacks on Yemeni civilians by the Coalition since 2015, France has delivered more than 8 billion euros worth of war materials, ammunition and maintenance services to SA and the UAE during the period from 2015 to 2020. It has been documented that French-produced fighter jets, as well as missiles and guidance systems produced by Thales and MBDA France, are used in the conflict in Yemen. The complaint submitted today argues that French companies, while fueling the conflict, may also be aiding and abetting war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly perpetrated by the Coalition.

...With today’s complaint, the organizations reiterate the call for criminal accountability for arms exports that violate international rules and fuel the conflict. National jurisdictions have to play their part in holding those responsible to account.