Siemens Executives Face Trial: Alleged Sanctions Breach Unveiled

A German court is launching a criminal trial against two former Siemens executives for allegedly violating sanctions by exporting turbines to Crimea. While charges against three others were dropped, Siemens and Siemens Energy have refrained from commenting. Sanctions prohibit supplying energy-related equipment to Crimea.

In a significant legal development, a German court has approved the commencement of a criminal trial against two former executives of the engineering giant Siemens. They stand accused of breaching international sanctions by facilitating the export of gas turbines to Russian-occupied Crimea.

The alleged breach of the European Union and U.S. sanctions, implemented in response to Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea, has led to this pivotal move by the Hamburg court, while charges against three other defendants have been dismissed due to insufficient evidence.

Siemens Energy, a company that separated from Siemens after the alleged incident, acknowledged the situation but refrained from detailed comments, emphasizing that the accused executives are not current employees. The case has drawn significant attention due to its geopolitical implications and underscores the legal challenges faced by multinational companies amid complex international sanctions.

(With inputs from agencies.)