The Democratic Republic of Congo has filed criminal complaints in France and Belgium against subsidiaries of the tech giant Apple, accusing it of using conflict minerals.
Acting on behalf of the Congolese government, lawyers have argued that Apple is complicit in crimes committed by armed groups that control some of the mines in the east of DR Congo.
In its 2023 review of the issue, Apple said it monitors its supply chain and works to mitigate risks as well as improving measures to trace the source of minerals.
The authorities in France and Belgium will now look at whether there is enough evidence to take the legal action further.