The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) has filed a criminal case against European subsidiaries of Apple, accusing the tech giant of using illegally sourced “blood minerals” in its supply chain.
The DR Congo alleges that Apple obtained minerals from its conflict-stricken eastern regions and neighbouring Rwanda, where materials are reportedly mined illegally. These resources are said to enter global supply chains and ultimately end up in technology products.
The case, filed in Paris and Brussels, includes allegations of war crimes, money laundering, forgery, and deceptive business practices. Lawyers representing the DRC claim Apple misled consumers by presenting its supply chains as ethical and clean.
In a statement, Washington-based lawyer Robert Amsterdam, representing the DRC, said: “Color Apple red, and not green. It is a trillion-dollar company that must be assumed to know the consequences of its actions. Enough with denials of accountability and hiding behind the false narrative of supply chain defences!.”
Paris-based lawyer William Bourdon described the complaints as a necessary step to hold major corporations accountable. “This is about endless enrichment at the cost of crimes staining African supply chains,” he said.
The lawyers highlighted reports by the United Nations, the US State Department, and international NGOs like Global Witness, which document links between mineral exploitation, militia violence, and forced labour in the DRC.
Apple, however, maintains that its supply chain is rigorously verified. In a statement last year, the company said there was no reasonable basis for concluding its products contained illegally sourced minerals from conflict zones.
Rwanda has also denied the allegations, with government spokeswoman Yolande Makolo describing them as an attempt by the DR Congo to divert attention with false accusations.
Violence has plagued eastern DRC since the 1990s, fuelled by armed groups competing for control of its vast mineral wealth. Tensions have escalated since 2021 with the resurgence of the Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group in North Kivu province, further complicating the region’s resource exploitation.
Lawyers for the DR Congo have urged European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to engage in discussions about holding global supply chains accountable and ending the violence linked to resource extraction in sub-Saharan Africa.
