[22 January 2014] – On 6 December 2013, a member of the Danish Parliament submitted a complaint against the multi-national security company G4S under the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises (Guidelines). The complaint against the UK/Danish security company arises out of its business activities in Israel and Palestine involving the provision of goods and services to the Israeli Prison Service and to Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

 

According to information available on the public record, G4S has installed and maintains security and surveillance equipment in prisons located inside Israel where Palestinians from the West Bank are detained. The transfer and detention of these prisoners from the West Bank to facilities located inside Israel violates Article 76 of the Fourth Geneva Convention. An individual, including a company director, directly involved in the process of transferring or detaining these prisoners, or who aids and abets these activities, commits a criminal offence.

 

According to data released by the Israeli Prison Service in December 2013, there are currently 4,785 Palestinians in Israeli detention facilities, including 173 children. Out of this total, 89 percent of the adults and 51 percent of the children are being unlawfully detained inside Israel in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

 

In November 2013, a similar complaint against G4S was lodged with the OECD in the UK arising out of the same circumstances. Under UK criminal law, individuals, including company directors, who aid and abet a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention face a maximum penalty of 30 years imprisonment if convicted.