French energy giant TotalEnergies is facing a criminal complaint in Paris alleging complicity in war crimes and human rights abuses connected to its operations in Mozambique. The case, filed by the European Center for Constitutional and human Rights (ECCHR), centers on allegations that TotalEnergies supported a joint military task force accused of torturing and killing civilians near its $20 billion LNG project [[1]],a project critical to Europe’s energy security as it diversifies away from Russian gas. As the company seeks to restart the project following a years-long suspension due to militant violence, the accusations-and supporting documentation-raise serious questions about corporate duty in conflict zones.
TotalEnergies is facing legal action in Paris over allegations of complicity in war crimes, torture, and enforced disappearances linked to its operations in Mozambique. The complaint, filed Monday with the national antiterrorism prosecutor’s office, centers on events dating back to 2021 at the site of the company’s massive LNG project, which had been halted following a militant attack.
The German non-governmental organization, European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR), alleges that TotalEnergies directly funded and materially supported the Joint Task Force (JTF), comprised of Mozambican armed forces. According to the ECCHR, the JTF detained, tortured, and killed dozens of civilians between July and September 2021. These alleged abuses occurred near the Mozambique LNG project site, where TotalEnergies holds a 26.5% stake and serves as the operator.
The accusations follow earlier reports from Politico in September 2024, and subsequent investigations by SourceMaterial and Le Monde, all of which TotalEnergies disputes. The company did not immediately provide comment when contacted Tuesday.
“It seems unthinkable that TotalEnergies could claim ignorance of the crimes committed by the Mozambican army, and particularly the accusations of human rights violations against the Joint Task Force, given that the company itself reported these issues in several internal documents shared with its public financiers,” stated Clara Gonzales, director of the ECCHR’s business and human rights program.
The legal challenge comes as TotalEnergies signaled its readiness on October 25 to restart the $20 billion Mozambique LNG consortium project, with anticipated production beginning in 2029. The French energy giant initially declared “force majeure” and suspended the project in April 2021 following a deadly attack by jihadist groups linked to the Islamic State in the town of Palma, in the Cabo Delgado province.
Following the attack, the project site was placed under the protection of the Mozambican military within the JTF, established in 2020 under an agreement between TotalEnergies’ local subsidiary, Tepma 1, and the Mozambican government. That agreement was terminated in October 2023.
According to reports, during counter-offensives against jihadists, soldiers guarding the site allegedly detained between 180 and 250 local residents, accusing them of supporting the insurgency. These individuals were reportedly held in shipping containers for three months, subjected to beatings, starvation, and torture, with some resulting in fatalities. The last 26 prisoners were released in September 2021, according to journalist Alex Perry’s investigation based on witness testimonies.
Mozambique LNG previously stated it had “never received information indicating that such events actually took place.” The company later said it requested an investigation from Mozambican authorities in November 2024, which was officially announced in March 2025 by the prosecutor general’s office. The National Human Rights Commission also confirmed launching its own investigation at TotalEnergies’ request in late 2024.
The ECCHR contends that TotalEnergies was “aware” of human rights violations committed by the armed forces. Le Monde and Source Material reported in November 2024 that TotalEnergies had knowledge of alleged violent actions by the JTF against civilians as early as April 2021, based on social reports from Mozambique LNG teams and shared with the Italian export credit agency SACE, which supports the project.
The NGO alleges that TotalEnergies continued to directly support the JTF, providing housing, food, and bonuses “conditional on respect for human rights.” The ECCHR has presented “new documents” obtained from Dutch authorities, detailing exchanges between the Dutch public export credit agency Atradius DSB and TotalEnergies, which reportedly raised concerns about potential human rights abuses by the armed forces as early as May 2020. According to the NGO, two investigations have been opened by export credit agencies.
Lorette Philippot of Friends of the Earth France called for public financiers and banks, including Société Générale and Crédit Agricole, to immediately withdraw their support for the project, stating the complaint “must be heard as a message.” The organization opposes “gas expansion in Mozambique.”
The allegations pose a significant reputational and financial risk for TotalEnergies as it seeks to revive the Mozambique LNG project, a key component of its global expansion strategy. The outcome of the investigation could have broader implications for energy companies operating in regions with heightened security concerns and potential human rights risks.
