International Rights Advocates (IRAdvocates) has filed a lawsuit in Washington accusing Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) of using minerals tied to conflict and human rights abuses in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda.
The complaint alleges that cobalt, tin, tantalum, and tungsten linked to forced labor, child labor, and armed groups still enter the firm's supply chain. Apple denies the claims and says it ordered suppliers in 2024 to halt sourcing from the region.
This is not IRAdvocates' first action. The group previously sued Apple, Tesla, and other firms in U.S. courts over cobalt sourcing, but that case was dismissed. DRC filed a similar complaint in Europe last year, but French prosecutors dropped it, citing a lack of evidence.
