French cement giant Lafarge and several of its former executives will stand trial in Paris from Nov. 4 to Dec. 16 on charges of financing terrorist organizations, including Daesh (ISIS), during the Syrian civil war.
The company is accused of paying around 5 million euros ($5.76 million) to armed groups between 2013 and 2014 to continue operating its plant in northern Syria.
Eight individuals, including former executives and intermediaries, are scheduled to appear before the Paris Criminal Court.
This case is unprecedented, marking the first time a multinational company has been tried in France for allegedly financing terrorism as a legal entity.
In 2022, Lafarge, now merged with the Swiss group Holcim, admitted to similar acts in a U.S. plea deal, agreeing to pay a $778 million fine. That agreement applied only to the company, not to the individuals currently on trial.
The defendants include former CEO Bruno Lafont, former Deputy COO Christian Herault and Bruno Pescheux, and former head of Lafarge Cement Syria, Frederic Jolibois. They face charges of financing terrorist enterprises and violating international sanctions.
A separate investigation into complicity in crimes against humanity continues, following a 2023 decision to split the case. Civil parties representing around 200 former employees have expressed concern that this will delay further proceedings.
The trial may also clarify the role of French authorities, as investigators found that some Lafarge executives had shared information with intelligence services during the conflict.
Nearly a decade after the events, the proceedings represent a significant test of corporate responsibility and of efforts to ensure accountability for actions linked to the Syrian war.
