Talisman Oil Advised, Further Abuses Could Result in Prosecution

Calgary (April 30, 2002) -- Rights & Democracy advised oil corporation Talisman today that future complicity in Sudanese human rights abuses could be liable for prosecution by the impending International Criminal Court.

According to reports by the United Nations and human rights organizations, oil production in Southern Sudan is exacerbating the conflict in that region by financing military activities which have failed to respect the most basic humanitarian norms. Air force bombings of areas inhabited by civilians have resulted in massive forced displacement, the government army has blocked the delivery of relief food and medical aid to civilians and soldiers and militias have regularly executed, raped and tortured non-combatants.

"Under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, it is clear that officers and employees of private companies who facilitate, aid or abet a crime covered by the Court are criminally liable," said Rights & Democracy's Chair, Kathleen Mahoney, a law professor at the University of Calgary at a news conference on the eve of Talisman's shareholders' meeting. "This is precisely what Talisman has been accused of doing."

The Statute of International Criminal Court will enter into force on July 1, 2002, and war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide committed by state agents or nationals of states that have ratified from that date forward will be liable for prosecution, irrespective of where the crime is committed. Canada is one of the 66 states to have ratified the Rome Statute, and has also incorporated the Statute into Canadian law, which means that suspects of crimes covered by the ICC could also be tried in Canadian courts. Rights & Democracy is confident that the Court will not balk at bringing to justice accomplices in human rights crimes, although it will be several years before there is a significant jurisprudence on the criminal liability of individuals working in corporations.

In response to Talisman's timid efforts to address the issue of social responsibility, Kathleen Mahoney reminded the transnational that it could be held accountable for complicity in human rights abuses.

"Human rights is not about public relations, it is about international law," Ms. Mahoney said. "Our primary concern now is enforcement of those rights. We serve notice today that the human rights community has the will and the legal knowledge to see the prosecution of those complicit in gross human rights abuses in Sudan."

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For further information, email: Patricia Poirier, Mary Durran: 514 283 6073.

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