DR Congo files criminal complaint against Apple over conflict minerals

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has filed criminal complaints in France and Belgium against subsidiaries of Apple, accusing the tech giant of using conflict minerals.

Lawyers representing the Congolese government allege that Apple uses minerals pillaged from the DRC and laundered through global supply chains, making it complicit in crimes committed by armed groups that control some of the mines in the country's east.

The complaints were prepared by a team of international lawyers on behalf of DRC's justice minister, and authorities in France and Belgium will consider whether there is sufficient evidence to investigate further and potentially bring criminal charges.

The lawyers said Apple's supply chain was tainted by "blood minerals", alleging that tin, tantalum and tungsten — the so-called 3T minerals used in computers and phones — were being taken from conflict zones in the DRC then laundered internationally.

"These activities have fuelled a cycle of violence and conflict by financing militias and terrorist groups and have contributed to forced child labour and environmental devastation," read the joint statement by three law firms in the US, France and Belgium.

After the cases were filed on Tuesday, Apple said it "strongly disputes" the allegations.

"As conflict in the region escalated earlier this year we notified our suppliers that their smelters and refiners must suspend sourcing tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold from the DRC and Rwanda," Apple said in a statement, referring to fighting in eastern DRC.

"We recognise the situation in the region is very challenging and we have increased our support to organizations that do vital work helping communities," it added.

One of the world's most mineral-rich regions, eastern DRC is experiencing a worsening humanitarian disaster, with more than 100 armed rebel groups fighting for control of the mines. Millions of people in the region have been uprooted and affected by spiralling violence — from mass killings to rapes — according to the UN and human rights groups.

The DRC's government and UN experts have previously said that some of the extracted 3T minerals are smuggled to neighbouring Rwanda before entering the global supply chain for electronic components. Rwanda has repeatedly rejected such claims.

The lawyers also accused Apple of using deceptive commercial practices to assure consumers that its supply chains are clean, although they did not provide further details.

Robert Amsterdam, a US-based lawyer involved in the case, said the criminal complaints were the first made by DRC against a major tech company, calling them a "first salvo of judicial actions".