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Mark · Site Admin Joined: 13 Nov 2007 Posts: 1052

AS OF OCTOBER 30, 2008, BY COURT ORDER, EARTHRIGHTS INTERNATIONAL CANNOT COMMENT ON THE TRIAL OF BOWOTO V. CHEVRON

Trial Against Chevron Currently Underway

http://www.earthrights.org/content/view/557/114/

Friday, 19 September 2008

Another landmark EarthRights International human rights case, Bowoto v. Chevron, is currently underway in trial in federal court in San Francisco. The plaintiffs, with ERI as co-counsel, will present evidence that Chevron was complicit in gross human rights abuses committed against villagers who peacefully protested environmental abuses and other harm caused by Chevron's oil production activities. The protest took place at a Chevron drilling platform (pictured).

Chevron paid and ferried members of the notorious Nigerian military and ‘kill and go’ mobile police to the platform in Chevron-leased helicopters and Chevron personnel supervised the operation. Two protesters were shot and killed in the brutal attack – including one who was shot in the back - and others were injured.

ERI and our co-counsel are using the tools of the U.S. litigation process, including the Alien Tort Statute, to hold Chevron accountable for serious human rights violations. The court has already ruled that the plaintiffs have presented enough evidence that Chevron abetted and conspired in the abuses to warrant a trial. Moreover, the court has already applied important rules supporting accountability of parent corporations for actions taken nominally by their foreign subsidiaries.

IN DEPTH: Read the Case Overview, Review Evidence from the Case, Browse Factsheets, and View Other Trial Documents