BNP Paribas Challenges U.S. Court Ruling Over Role in Sudan Genocide

Bank Vows to Appeal U.S. Court Decision

BNP Paribas, France’s largest bank, announced Tuesday that it is disputing a United States federal court verdict linking it to atrocities committed in Sudan. The bank stated it is confident the decision will be overturned on appeal and vowed to use “all recourses available” to contest the ruling.

Jury Links BNP to Genocide Under Bashir

A New York federal jury last week found the bank aided the regime of former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir in committing genocide. The court ordered BNP Paribas to pay nearly $21 million to three Sudanese plaintiffs.

Following the verdict, the bank’s shares fell by around 10% on Monday. Analysts attributed the drop directly to the legal setback.

BNP Paribas Denies Broader Liability

In a statement, the bank stressed that the decision “should not be extrapolated to other cases” or used to predict a potential settlement.

“This verdict is specific to these three plaintiffs and should not have broader application,” BNP Paribas declared.

A “Historic Moment” for Human Rights

BNP Paribas allegedly gave Sudanese authorities access to international money markets during the 1990s and 2000s, enabling the Bashir regime to finance its campaigns.

Lawyers for the plaintiffs described the ruling as “a historic moment” in the fight for accountability, suggesting it could pave the way for more than 20,000 Sudanese refugees in the U.S. to seek further damages from the bank.

“The verdict marks a historic moment in human rights and financial accountability,” law firm Hausfeld said on Friday.

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Bashir’s Regime and the Darfur Genocide

Omar al-Bashir ruled Sudan for three decades, overseeing an authoritarian regime marked by brutal internal wars. One of the deadliest was the Darfur conflict between 2003 and 2005, which killed approximately 200,000 civilians and displaced two million people, according to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

The U.S. government officially recognised the Darfur genocide in 2004. In 2009, the International Criminal Court indicted Bashir for genocide and crimes against humanity, including murder, extermination, torture, and rape. He was eventually ousted from power in a 2019 coup.

Implications for Global Financial Institutions

The verdict may set a powerful legal precedent for holding global financial institutions accountable for indirectly supporting authoritarian regimes. If upheld on appeal, BNP Paribas could face billions of dollars in additional lawsuits.

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