The trial pertaining to allegations of Libyan financing of Nicolas Sarkozy’s campaign continues in court, shedding light on the alleged role of several companies, including Amesys and Airbus. For Sherpa, civil party since 2013, this case raises questions on the role of economic actors in transnational corruption cases and their collusion with politics.
Amesys and digital technology’s role in political repression
The current trial is shedding light on the role of Amesys, which between 2007 and 2011 sold the Libyan regime technology enabling it to intercept electronic communications and monitor online activities. According to several NGOs, this tool was used to identify, track, and arrest political dissidents who subsequently faced human rights violations and torture.
The investigation revealed certain contracts were concluded in connection with the Libyan financing affair. Several meetings between French officials and Libyan dignitaries may have facilitated these commercial links.
In 2011, Sherpa had initiated a complaint regarding these circumstances surrounding the sale of surveillance equipment to the Libyan regime. A preliminary investigation was opened in France on similar facts, leading to the indictment of Amesys in 2021 for complicity in torture. This proceeding marks an important step towards holding companies accountable for their complicity with authoritarian regimes.
Airbus, a major fine for corruption practices
In 2022, Airbus agreed to a fine of nearly 15.8 million euros as part of a Judicial Public Interests Agreement (CJIP) (CJIP – French equivalent of criminal transaction) for acts of transnational corruption. The company acknowledged that its Libyan subsidiary had committed these acts in 2011 to facilitate the conclusion of a contract for the sale of 12 aircrafts to the Libyan airline company Afriqyah Airways.
This agreement, which enabled Airbus to avoid a public trial, has contributed to the sidelining of the victims of corruption, depriving them of the ability to assert their rights fairly, notably their right to reparations.
In the trial over the alleged illicit financing of Sarkozy’s campaign, Edouard Ulmo, a former executive of Airbus, is under investigation for his alleged role in illicit transactions. His referral to the court will enable the judicial authorities to delve deeper into the role of individuals in this case, beyond the corporate accountability incurred by Airbus.
The Libyan population, first victims of this collusion of interests
Business practices and trade agreements between France and French companies and Muammar Gaddafi’s regime have contributed to reinforcing an oppressive system anddepriving citizens of resources and exacerbating inequalities. Illicit financing linked to large companies has fostered structures of corruption, hampering economic and social development.
The case of the alleged Libyan financing of Sarkozy’s campaign is a biting reminder of the impact of corruption practices on civilian populations. It highlights the need to hold companies accountable for their international activities and strengthen mechanisms to fight corruption. The cases of Amesys and Airbus should serve as a wake-up call to rethink the relationship between economic interests and the respect of human rights.
For more information: presse@asso-sherpa.org
