Co-Founder and Director, EarthRights International
Twenty years — almost to the day. Last weekend marked the anniversary of meetings between officials from oil giant Shell that led to alleged human rights abuses at issue in a landmark Supreme Court case known as Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum. The Court, considered by many to be the most corporate-friendly Supreme Court in history, could issue a decision as early as Tuesday as to whether Shell — or any company — can be held legally accountable for torture, extrajudicial execution, and crimes against humanity. Shell’s position is sweeping and bold: Let us make over $30 billion off communities’ and their homelands, but leave us off the hook when these operations lead to gross human rights abuses.