The trial of French cement giant Lafarge, accused of financing the terrorist group Daesh and violating international sanctions during its operations in northern Syria, began on Tuesday at the Paris Criminal Court.
The proceedings — scheduled to run through December 16 — mark one of France’s most significant corporate crime trials, with Lafarge standing as a legal entity alongside eight individuals, including four former French executives, two Syrian intermediaries, and two security officials from Jordan and Norway.
According to prosecutors, Lafarge allegedly paid millions of euros to armed groups, including Daesh, between 2013 and 2014 to keep its cement plant running in Syria’s war zone.
'A landmark moment'
In a joint statement, the anti-corruption NGO Sherpa and the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) — which initiated the case after nearly nine years of legal proceedings — called the trial “a landmark moment for corporate accountability in conflict zones.”
The groups said it also represents “a key moment for former Lafarge employees,” many of whom are expected to testify about working conditions and security threats at the plant.
A separate investigation into Lafarge for complicity in crimes against humanity remains open — the first case of its kind worldwide.
If found guilty of financing terrorism, the eight individual defendants face up to 10 years in prison and fines of $259,000 (€225,000) each. Lafarge, as a corporation, could face a around $1.3 million (€1.125 million) fine and additional sanctions.
For violating international financial sanctions, the company could be fined up to 10 times the value of the alleged breach — around $53 million — while former executives could face up to five years in prison and asset confiscation.
