A Paris court has convicted former Lafarge executives over payments made to armed groups to maintain operations at its Jalabiya cement plant in northern Syria.
The case relates to activities between 2013 and 2014, when Lafarge Cement Syria allegedly paid intermediaries to secure raw materials and ensure the movement of staff and goods as conflict escalated. The plant, commissioned in 2010 at a cost of around US$680m, continued operating until it was abandoned in 2014.
Former CEO Bruno Lafont was sentenced to six years in prison, while former deputy managing director Christian Herrault received a five-year sentence. In total, eight former executives and intermediaries were convicted, with sentences ranging from 18 months to seven years. One intermediary, Firas Tlass, received a seven-year sentence in absentia.
The court also imposed a fine of EUR1.125m on Lafarge, the maximum penalty.
The ruling follows a 2022 US case in which Lafarge pleaded guilty to providing material support to designated groups and agreed to pay a US$778m fine.
Lafarge has since merged with Holcim, which has stated it had no involvement in the Syria-related activities.
