Vinci Construction firm investigated over forced labour claims on World Cup buildings in Qatar
French government investigating Vinci Construction for forced work
A major French construction company is under investigation after claims it used forced labour for buildings for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The Paris government announced at the weekend there was enough evidence for it to open a preliminary inquiry into Vinci Construction.
The move follows a complaint by the non-governmental organisation Sherpa.
The investigation will centre on whether Vinci and its Qatari subsidiary QDVC is using "forced labour, servitude and concealment" with regard to sites in Qatar including building for the football tournament.
"The on-site investigations found the use by these companies of various threats to force vulnerable people into scandalous working and living conditions for a paltry salary," Sherpa had said. Vinci has denied the accusations claiming it provides migrant workers with decent working conditions.
The company says it is suing Sherpa for defamation.
The preliminary investigation reportedly began two weeks ago and is expected to last several months. It aims to verify allegations made by Sherpa, the French prosecutor Catherine Denis said at the weekend.
A formal inquiry will follow if investigators find evidence to support the humanitarian organisation's claims.
Vinci Construction, which reports having an annual turnover of €40 billion (HK$336.88 billion), employs 191,000 workers around the world.
Sherpa welcomed the investigation. A statement on its website read as follows: "Modern slavery does not consist of shackling and whipping workers.
"It is subtler; the penal code defines a vulnerable population, under the threat of an employer and extreme economical dependency, as having no choice but to accept the deplorable working conditions and therefore renew its contract."
In its claim, Sherpa said: "Passports were confiscated by the company and workers were threatened if they claimed their right to better working conditions and housing, if they wished to resign or change employer." The passport confiscations had been allegedly halted in January this year.
Xavier Huillard, the CEO of Vinci, told newspaper earlier this month: "Up until the beginning of this year we did, in effect, keep workers' passports."
However, he said this was not done "under force".
Huillard said: "The holders gave them to us voluntarily, signing a consent form in their own language, to avoid the risk of them being stolen or destroyed. They could, of course, have them back at any time."
He said the company employed "thousands of workers from Nepal, Sri Lanka and India ... who live in conditions that are of the highest standard".
The world football authority, Fifa, has come under intense pressure from human rights groups to review its decision to award the emirate state the 2022 World Cup.
