BNP Paribas shares drop after US court verdict on liability in Sudan atrocities

BNP Paribas Verdict and Financial Implications

On Mon, Sep 15, 2025, shares of BNP Paribas experienced a decline of up to 10% following a United States court verdict. The verdict, issued by a New York federal jury, requires the bank to pay nearly $21 million to three plaintiffs who fled Sudan and are now residing in the United States.

The plaintiffs provided testimony regarding human rights violations under the regime of former Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir. BNP Paribas was accused of facilitating access to international money markets for Sudanese authorities during the 1990s and 2000s, which allegedly supported the Sudanese government's actions against its population.

In response to the verdict, BNP Paribas announced plans to appeal and argued that the decision should not prompt additional compensation claims. The bank emphasized its disagreement with the verdict, stating that significant evidence was not considered during the trial. It intends to explore all legal avenues to contest the judgment.

There is speculation about potential further claims or penalties, which may continue to affect BNP Paribas shares. The plaintiffs' legal representatives indicated that the verdict could pave the way for over 20,000 Sudanese refugees in the United States to seek substantial damages from the bank.

Omar al-Bashir's three-decade rule was characterized by authoritarian governance and internal conflicts, including the Darfur war. Between 2003 and 2005, attacks in Darfur resulted in approximately 200,000 civilian deaths and the displacement of two million people, as reported by the US Holocaust Memorial Museum. The US government recognized the Darfur genocide in 2004. In 2009, the International Criminal Court indicted Bashir for genocide and crimes against humanity. He was removed from power in a 2019 coup.

Based on reporting by Africanews.