The summons comes as attention focuses on the upcoming football World Cup being hosted in Qatar later this month.
The charges relate to allegations by a Paris-based human rights campaign group, Sherpa, alleging that Vinci and its Qatari joint venture, QDVC, used “forced labour”.
Sherpa originally filed a complaint in 2015 but this was dismissed by French prosecutors in 2018. The group, together with several former QDVC workers, has now filed a new complaint.
Working conditions on construction sites in Qatar have become the focus of international scrutiny ever since the Arab state’s successful bid to host the 2022 World Cup 12 years ago.
Since then hundreds of thousands of migrant workers, mostly from the Indian subcontinent, have been employed by contractors in Qatar building roads, railways, stadia and other essential infrastructure in preparation for the tournament.
Employers have been accused of providing inadequate working and living conditions for foreign workers and of coercive treatment, including confiscation of passports.
Last year the Guardian newspaper published an investigation alleging that more than 6,500 migrant workers had died in Qatar since its winning World Cup bid in 2010.
Vinci Group has confirmed that Vinci Construction Grands Projets has been summoned by the Nanterre investigating judge to answer charges on Wednesday, 9th November but it vigorously denies all the allegations.
“None of the projects awarded to QDVC has any connection with the 2022 Football World Cup in Qatar,” said a Vinci press release.
“In fact, these projects were entrusted to QDVC before the competition was awarded to Qatar and mainly relate to transport infrastructures. Vinci did not sign any contract with the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, and has not built any stadium or hotel in Qatar.”
The company added: “Vinci considers it extremely regrettable that despite the proceedings having commenced seven years ago, its subsidiary should face charges just before the start of the Football World Cup in Qatar. This highly charged period of media attention might be rather unfavourable in terms of a dispassionate consideration of the facts. However, Vinci will continue to cooperate with the courts, with the objective to show that the allegations made against the group are unfair.”
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