“BNP fine cheers Sudan human rights campaigners”, 30 Jun 2014 [Subscription only]

Today, as BNP Paribas pays a record $8.9bn penalty for conducting business with Sudan and other countries subject to sanctions, [human rights lawyer Ali Agab] is celebrating…“It’s very harmful and sad to know that those people who are enjoying democracy are using all means to support a regime like this and commit international crime,” [says Mr Agab]…The US levied sanctions in 1997 over Sudan’s support for terrorism and human rights abuses…in the course of Sudan’s 10-year oil…experts estimate its petrodollars amounted to $80bn for the country and its backers…[According to Agab]“[t]his oil money, gained illegally, allowed the regime to stay in power and to commit more crimes against its own people…"…[According to Olivia Warham, director of Waging Peace] “The level of torture and intimidation, lack of freedom of expression, lack of political space has been consistently high throughout the last decade. [Mr Bashir] has been doing all of this with the world turning a blind eye; financed by people who are breaking sanctions...”