A prosecutor has requested prison sentences of ten and six years for former Lundin Oil executives Ian Lundin and Alex Schneiter in Stockholm District Court. The two are charged with complicity in grave war crimes in Sudan. Prosecutor Henrik Attorps argued the case involved long-term participation in multiple phases and complicity in crimes against civilians, where many civilians reportedly had their lives completely destroyed in the company's and the defendants' pursuit of profit.
He also requested that both be detained when the verdict is announced. The defendants participated in Thursday's hearing via video link and were not present in court. The trial began in September 2023 and is expected to conclude in May.
The case involved long-term participation in multiple phases and complicity in crimes against civilians, where many civilians reportedly had their lives completely destroyed in the company's and the defendants' pursuit of profit.
According to the indictment, Lundin and Schneiter, former chairman and CEO of Lundin Oil respectively, are suspected of complicity in grave war crimes in southern Sudan from 1999 to 2003, when the Swedish company was operating in the civil war-torn country. The indictment alleges they had knowledge of and contributed to military and regime-loyal militias killing and displacing people to create conditions for the company's oil prospecting in an area long controlled by rebels. Offensives, which among other things were intended to enable the construction of new roads, were carried out from 1999 to March 2003, according to the investigation.
Military and militias reportedly committed grave war crimes in connection with this. Civilians were allegedly subjected to airstrikes, fired upon from helicopters, and hacked and shot to death by soldiers. Furthermore, homes and healthcare facilities were reportedly looted and burned down, according to the indictment.
The defense's objections lack support in what has been presented in court.
Prosecutors claim the company executives contributed by making agreements with and making demands on the regime, which meant the military needed to create conditions for the company to operate in the areas. The demands, prosecutors allege, were made with knowledge that the warfare constituted war crimes. Both Ian Lundin and Alexander Schneiter deny the crimes.
The defense has, among other things, denied that the company and the regime had the relationship alleged and questions whether war crimes were committed in the manner the investigation shows. Attorps, however, states that the defense's objections lack support in what has been presented in court.