Torben Østergaard-Nielsen's companies Dan-Bunkering and Bunker Holding have been reported to the police for war crimes in Syria, after a new law came into effect on January 1. This is reported by Ekstra Bladet and Danwatch.
The report concerns the supply of jet fuel, which Russian forces in Syria allegedly used to carry out attacks in 2016. The two companies have previously been convicted of selling jet fuel to the Russian military in 2015 in violation of EU sanctions.
The new law has made it possible to prosecute individuals or companies for crimes against humanity, torture and war crimes. Lawyer Eddie Omar Rosenberg Khawaja has filed the police report on behalf of seven Syrians who, according to Ekstra Bladet and Danwatch, witnessed attacks in Syria in 2016.
- In my opinion, the material included in my clients' report clearly shows that Dan-Bunkering entered into an agreement with two Russian state-controlled companies, after which the fuel was delivered, unloaded and transported to Syria for use by Russian and Syrian aircraft that carried out attacks in direct violation of international humanitarian law in Syria, says Khawaja in a written response to the two media outlets.
Bunker Holding believes the legislation cannot be applied
Danwatch writes that this is the first time that Danish companies have been reported to the police under the new legislation. Bunker Holding takes the accusation seriously, but does not believe that the legislation can be applied in this context, the media outlet writes.
- With the knowledge we have at this time, we are very incomprehensible to the report, which is taking place against a very tragic background, the company writes, among other things, in a response to Ekstra-Bladet and Danwatch.
Bunker Holding also points out that the case for violation of EU sanctions has been concluded and "thoroughly investigated".
In the case for violation of sanctions, Dan-Bunkering was fined 30 million, while the parent company, Bunker Holding, was fined 4 million kroner. In addition, Bunker Holding's director received a four-month suspended sentence for his role in the case. The case was decided in 2021 by the Court in Odense.
/ritzau/
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