A Dutch court has announced that it has jurisdiction to hear a suit against energy company, Royal Dutch Shell by four widows of slain activists executed by the Nigerian government in 1995.
The jurisdiction acknowledgement serves as a breakthrough for the widows and their families who have sought justice for over twenty years.
The presiding Judge, Larissa Alwin, had ordered Shell to hand over all documents to aid the claimants’ case. The Dutch oil major has agreed to cooperate with the court.
In 2009, Shell paid $15.5 million to victims’ families in the United States as settlements but also denied any wrongdoing.
No date has been set for the next hearing.