Diakonia, in cooperation with SwedWatch and Church of Sweden, have published a comprehensive report (October 2008) regarding Swedish producer of lock and security solutions, Assa Abloy, which owns a factory in the illegal Barkan settlement in the West Bank. Assa Abloy acquired Mul-T-Lock manufacturing plant in the Barkan industrial zone in 2000.

Violation of international humanitarian law

Assa Abloy’s ownership of the manufacturing plant contravenes both domestic Israeli law and a number of provisions in international law. In particular, settlements contravene the absolute prohibition, contained in the Fourth Geneva Convention, of transferring parts of the occupying power’s population into occupied territory. According to international law and specifically IHL, all Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory are illegal. This is also the view of the European Union and the Swedish government.

Confiscation of land

Moreover, the report points out that the confiscation of the land where the Mul-T-Lock factory is located constitutes a clear violation of international humanitarian law. In addition, Assa Abloy acquired assets such as the leasehold for the factory, which also amounts to pillage, a crime under international humanitarian law.

Corporate responsibility

The report addresses corporate responsibility and attributes such responsibility to Assa Abloy, and individual responsibility to its directors for breaching international law, and specifically IHL, by owning Mul-T-Lock and by facilitating population transfer through the mere ownership of a factory in the illegal Barkan settlement.

Urging action

The report also brings up the violation by Assa Abloy of its own Code of Conduct and the manner in which Assa Abloy’s products are sold in light of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. Finally, Diakonia, SwedWatch and Church of Sweden urge Assa Abloy to take steps to comply with international law, Israeli law and its own Code of Conduct, by, amongst others, relocating the factory.

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Read the report Download the full report  "Illegal Ground: Assa Abloy’s business in occupied Palestinian territory" (2,74 MB) To Diakonia's press release about the report (October 21st 2008)

Jemil Daoud is the spokesperson for the Daoud family. His family claims that they own the land where the Mul-T-Lock factory is situated. He was disappointed that the attitude at the factory did not change when the Swedish company Assa Abloy took over the ownership. Photo: Aida Alibegovic/Diakonia

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