US jury finds French bank BNP Paribas complicit in Sudan atrocities

French banking giant BNP Paribas has been found liable for its role in perpetuating atrocities in Sudan under former dictator Omar al-Bashir's rule. A New York jury delivered a significant verdict, awarding the victims $20.75m in damages.

Three plaintiffs from Sudan, now American citizens, testified about their traumatic experiences at the hands of Sudanese soldiers and the government-linked militia known as the Janjaweed. The testimony included accounts of torture, physical abuse, and sexual assault. One survivor, Entesar Osman Kasher, described being burned with cigarettes and slashed with a knife. She also spoke of having no relatives left.

The trial centered on whether BNP Paribas's financial services played a role in the atrocities committed by the Sudanese government. The bank provided letters of credit that allowed the regime to honor import and export commitments, which enabled it to receive billions of dollars from buyers to finance its operations.

BNP Paribas has maintained that its operations were legal and did not involve human rights abuses. However, the jury rejected this claim, finding a connection between the bank's conduct and the harm suffered by the plaintiffs.

The ruling is seen as a significant victory for justice and accountability. "The jury recognised that financial institutions cannot turn a blind eye to the consequences of their actions," said Bobby DiCello, who represented the plaintiffs.

BNP Paribas has vowed to appeal the verdict, stating that it is "clearly wrong." However, the jury's decision underscores the bank's liability for its role in supporting the Sudanese regime. The case highlights the need for greater scrutiny of financial institutions and their involvement in human rights abuses around the world.

The ruling comes as the situation in Sudan continues to deteriorate. Fighting broke out between rival factions in April 2023, leading to accusations of war crimes by forces on both sides. The International Criminal Court is also investigating al-Bashir, who is wanted on genocide charges.

As BNP Paribas faces this significant blow to its reputation, it is clear that the bank's actions have had severe consequences for innocent victims. The verdict serves as a reminder of the importance of holding financial institutions accountable for their role in perpetuating human rights abuses.

I'm low-key shocked that BNP Paribas got hit with a $20.75m verdict! It's wild to think about how their letter of credit services were basically enabling the Sudanese gov't to get away with some serious atrocities . The fact that Entesar Osman Kasher had to go through all that trauma is just heartbreaking . I'm glad the jury held them accountable, it's a major step towards making sure no one can just sweep human rights abuses under the rug . Now BNP Paribas is gonna have to face the music and deal with some serious damage control...

OMG what a verdict!!! $20.75m for those poor souls who went thru hell at the hands of Sudanese soldiers can't imagine being in Entesar's shoes with no relatives left BNP Paribas gotta own up to this, its not like they're doing bad things by accident 3 yrs ago was a tipping point when accountability started to be taken seriously but still, $20.75m is peanuts for what these ppl went thru need more!

I'm not surprised by this verdict at all. It just goes to show how deep-rooted corruption and human rights abuses can be, even in large corporations. BNP Paribas trying to claim they didn't know what was going on is laughable. They basically enabled the Sudanese government's atrocities with their financial services. It's wild that it took so long for someone to hold them accountable . This verdict should be a wake-up call for all financial institutions to review their operations and make sure they're not contributing to human rights abuses in any way .

OMG what a huge deal ! I cant believe that BNP Paribas got found guilty for helping out Omar al-Bashir's regime in Sudan . $20.75m is a ton of money and I hope the victims get the justice they deserve . The fact that these financial institutions can just "turn a blind eye" to human rights abuses is wild . I mean, how can you not know what's going on in another country?

It's like, BNP Paribas knew exactly what was happening and still went ahead with the deals . That's so messed up . The jury did the right thing by saying nope, we won't let you get away with this .

I'm glad that the verdict is being seen as a victory for justice and accountability . It's about time someone held these big banks accountable for their actions . We need to see more of this kind of stuff happening in the future .

It's just not right when innocent people suffer because of greedy corporations . The victims are still suffering and it's heartbreaking . I hope BNP Paribas really does appeal the verdict, so we can see what they have to say .

I'm shocked by this verdict . I mean, how can a bank like BNP Paribas just sit back and enable atrocities without even blinking an eye? It's like they thought they were above the law or something . The fact that they're going to appeal this is just pathetic .

I'm not surprised that it took a New York jury to call them out, though. I mean, we all knew that these big banks had some serious skeletons in their closets . It's about time someone held them accountable for their actions.

This verdict is huge . Not just for the victims, but for anyone who thinks they can get away with exploiting others for a buck . The message is clear: you can't just turn a blind eye to human rights abuses and expect to come out unscathed .

I'm so sick of forums where people just spew out clickbait titles and expect others to dive in without reading the article . Like, I know you've already seen the headline about BNP Paribas being found liable for its role in Sudan's atrocities... but do yourself a favor and actually read the article to get all the context and details .

And can we talk about how ridiculous it is that some people are like "oh, the bank will just appeal this" and act like that's somehow going to undo the harm done to those victims? It's not that simple . The fact that a jury actually listened to the testimony of survivors and found in their favor is what matters.

Ugh, I'm just so tired of people treating news as some kind of spectator sport where you can just jump on the bandwagon without thinking critically . Can't we all just take a minute to process this information and actually care about the human impact?

Ugh what a massive blow to BNP Paribas ! I feel so bad for those Sudanese survivors who were going through so much trauma and abuse, and now they've finally gotten some justice . It's disgusting that BNP Paribas thought it was above the law by just doing its job . But this verdict shows us that no one is above accountability .

I mean, can you imagine having to go through what Entesar Osman Kasher went through? Being burned and slashed with a knife... it's just heartbreaking . And for what? So BNP Paribas could make some money off the Sudanese regime? It's sickening.

This verdict is not just about the victims, though that's huge . It's also about making sure financial institutions know they have to be responsible and accountable for their actions . We can't let them just sweep things under the rug anymore .

BNP Paribas is going to appeal, of course . But I hope they're prepared for a long and difficult fight . The jury made it clear that they were right on the money about this case. And if anyone thinks financial institutions can just ignore human rights abuses, this verdict should give them pause .

just heard about this and i'm still trying to process it lol... $20.75m isn't gonna make up for what those ppl went thru tho but i guess its a step in the right direction? i mean, its crazy that a bank's actions can have such devastating effects on people's lives. didnt know they were involved in sudan like that... it makes me wonder how many other "legit" companies are profiting off of human rights abuses

Man, I'm just so sick about this. BNP Paribas thought they were above the law, right? Providing financial services to that awful Sudanese regime and turning a blind eye to all the atrocities happening under Omar al-Bashir's rule. And now, they're getting slapped with a massive $20.75m fine for their role in it all. It's about time someone held them accountable.

But you know what's even more messed up? The fact that these victims had to go through all this trauma and then have to relive it in court. I mean, can't we just focus on giving people justice without making them go through hell again? And what's with BNP Paribas trying to appeal this? Like, come on guys, you got caught red-handed.

This verdict is definitely a victory for justice and accountability, but at the same time, it's just so sad that it had to take so long to get here. I mean, how many more people have to suffer before we can say we're doing something right? It's time for us to hold these financial institutions accountable and make sure they don't think they can just sweep their mistakes under the rug.

And now that BNP Paribas is facing this blow to its reputation, I hope they use it as an opportunity to learn from their mistakes and actually do something right. We need more accountability like this, not less.

I'm glad to see some accountability on the global stage . It's crazy that BNP Paribas got away with supporting the Sudanese regime for so long, and now they're facing major consequences . I mean, who can blame the bank for wanting to make a profit? But at what cost? The victims' testimonies are absolutely harrowing, it's heartbreaking to think about what these people went through .

The verdict might be seen as a victory for justice and accountability, but let's not get too caught up in euphoria. There's still so much work to be done to hold other institutions accountable for their actions . And what about the current state of Sudan? It's like they're just swapping one crisis for another .

Anyway, this verdict is a step in the right direction, and I hope it sparks more conversations about corporate responsibility and human rights . Just gotta be cautious not to put all our faith in justice systems – we've seen that not always work out .

This verdict is like a beacon of hope for those who've been silenced for too long . It shows that even big corporations can be held accountable for their actions, especially when it comes to human rights abuses. I mean, $20.75m isn't gonna make up for the trauma and suffering these people went through , but at least it's a start, right? The fact that BNP Paribas is already planning an appeal just means we need to keep fighting for justice . It's so important that we continue to bring attention to these cases and push for accountability from those in power .

OMG like I'm still trying to process this . It's crazy how far we've come with these kinds of trials, you know? Back in '98 when the genocide happened in Rwanda... I remember watching the news and thinking it was just another war crime, but nothing ever really came out of it. And now we're seeing these massive verdicts like this one against BNP Paribas. It's a game changer, for real.

I'm so down with the idea that financial institutions gotta be held accountable for their actions. I mean, think about it - they get to make all these billions off the backs of people who are suffering, and then they act like it's not their problem? No way, jojo! The fact that this jury recognized the connection between BNP Paribas' actions and the harm caused is a major step towards justice.

It's also super sad for those plaintiffs from Sudan. I mean, can you even imagine going through what they went through? Being tortured, abused... it's just too much to handle. And now they're getting some form of closure with this verdict. It's like, about time, right?

But, like, the bigger picture is that these kinds of trials are still super rare. There needs to be more of them, you feel? The world needs to know what's going on and who's responsible for these atrocities. We need to keep pushing for accountability, you know?

I was just thinking about how I'm due for a new camera lens and I've been eyeing this one from Sony , it's supposed to be great for capturing cityscapes at night. Anyway, back to the news... what really gets me is how some of these atrocities happen in plain sight, like this bank just going about its business while people are being tortured and abused. I mean, who needs billions of dollars when you've got human lives to answer for? The fact that BNP Paribas tried to downplay their role doesn't change the fact that they're still responsible. It's all about accountability, right? And what's with the International Criminal Court not getting more recognition for its work? They're basically the unsung heroes of justice.

OMG, can you even believe what just happened?! BNP Paribas gets SLAMMED by a NY jury for its role in Sudan's atrocities under Omar al-Bashir... like, the bank thought it was all legit and didn't care about human rights, but guess what? The law says otherwise! They're talking $20.75m damages to the victims... insane! It's like, we need to keep holding these big corporations accountable for their actions, 'cause clearly, money can buy influence & corruption. And let's be real, if BNP Paribas is worried about its rep, that's just a drop in the ocean compared to the trauma caused to those victims . We gotta keep pushing for justice & accountability!

my heart just broke reading about Entesar Osman Kasher's testimony it's unbelievable that people like her are still living with physical and emotional scars from the atrocities committed by the Sudanese government and BNP Paribas' role in enabling those actions is just horrific the fact that a jury has held them accountable is a huge step towards justice, but it's also a reminder that there's still so much work to be done we need to keep pushing for greater accountability from financial institutions and governments around the world it's not enough to just apologize or make token gestures, we need real change

the verdict is like, super justified, you know? i mean, bnp paribas knew exactly what they were doing by giving that regime the means to carry out those atrocities . it's not just about the money, it's about the harm that was done to so many people. and now they're trying to appeal it? come on, they've got no one to blame but themselves . this ruling is a huge win for justice and accountability, and i'm all for it . we need more of these kinds of cases to shine a light on the dark dealings of big banks .

$20.75m can't even begin to cover the trauma those women went through and BNP Paribas thinks it's "clearly wrong"?? Like, what does that even mean? The bank was literally helping the Sudanese regime fund their atrocities and now they're trying to play dumb? This verdict is a major win for accountability and justice and I'm glad those women got some closure – at least now the bank's reputation is tarnished

This verdict is a massive step towards justice and accountability, it's wild to think that BNP Paribas was profiting off the suffering of people in Sudan The fact that the bank can just "appeal" the verdict doesn't make what happened any less horrific. $20.75m may not seem like a lot when you consider all the lives lost and traumas inflicted, but it's still a huge payout for the victims

It's crazy how financial institutions can get away with turning a blind eye to human rights abuses in the past, but this trial shows that we're slowly starting to hold them accountable The situation in Sudan is already dire, so I hope this verdict will lead to some much-needed change and more scrutiny of these powerful banks

I gotta say, this verdict from BNP Paribas is crazy . $20.75m is a lot of cash and it's about time someone held them accountable for their actions. I mean, we all know banks are all about making money, but to literally profit off human suffering? That's just wrong .

The way they structured those letters of credit was basically like giving the Sudanese regime a blank check . And now they're saying it's not their fault? Please . The fact that three plaintiffs had to testify about being tortured and abused is mind-blowing. It's like, how can you ignore that kind of thing?

I'm glad someone is finally holding them accountable for their role in perpetuating atrocities in Sudan . But at the same time, I don't think this verdict will do much to stop other financial institutions from doing similar things in the future . We need more scrutiny and regulations on these kinds of transactions.

And what's with BNP Paribas' claim that it's "clearly wrong"? That's just a PR stunt . If they're so sure, then why didn't they do anything to stop their own atrocities? This verdict is about justice and accountability, not about beating up the bank's reputation .