First victory the Saudi cargo “of shame” Bahri Yanbu diverted could not load the Caesar guns in the port of Le Havre

PRESS RELEASE

Paris, the 10th of May 2019

 

Today, May 10, 2019, the Saudi cargo ship Bahri Yanbu didn’t load the 8 Caesar guns of the national company Nexter. ACTION SECURITE ETHIQUE REPUBLICAINES (ASER) and Action des Chrétiens pour l’Abolition de la Torture (ACAT) had filed a summary judgment with the Paris Administrative Court on 9 May 2019.

While it is surprising to note that the rejection of the interim release order introduced by ACAT for a reason of « absence of imminent danger » in a war that killed nearly 100,000 people, the court nevertheless recognises the harm to life that would be caused by the transfer of this war material.

However, this urgency is confirmed by the worsening humanitarian situation in Yemen. A report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) estimates the number of deaths at more than 230,000 by the end of 2019, including more than 140,000 children under the age of 5 if the conflict continues with such intensity

This decision, which we regret, in no way prejudges the solution that will be brought by the Paris Administrative Court to the suspension injunction introduced by ASER on Tuesday, May 7, 2019 and even less to the appeal for excess of power filed on May 7, 2018.

The recent publication by the independent media Disclose, which proves that the French government was aware of the use in Yemen of French weapons sold to the coalition, persuaded us of the urgency of this referral.

Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, who chairs the Interministerial Commission for the Study of War Material Exports, is directly responsible for these exports and is accountable to parliamentarians and citizens for the violation of France’s international commitments and specifically Article 6 of the Arms Trade Treaty.

ASER has been granted ECOSOC Special Consultative Status at the United Nations

ASER is a member of the International Action Network on small arms

Contacts : http://aser-asso.org

For interview requests or participation in a program on the issue of weapons/ human rights : Benoît Muracciole : +337 72 33 40 45