A first complaint was dismissed.
Accused of having indirectly contributed to the Russian war effort by continuing to exploit a field after the beginning of the war in Ukraine, which would have made it possible to manufacture fuel used by Moscow planes, the oil group denounced to AFP attacks "outrageous", "defamatory" and "unfounded".
The two plaintiff associations from Bordeaux and Ukraine, Darwin Climax Coalition and Razom We Stand, filed a complaint on Wednesday with a civil party.
This procedure makes it possible to obtain the appointment of an investigating judge almost automatically.
"The accusations of +complicity in war crimes+ are outrageous and defamatory," the group responded.
"Words have meaning and such words are unacceptable. These accusations against our Company, which conducts its operations in strict compliance with European Union policy and applicable European sanctions measures, are particularly serious and unfounded in light of the explanations we have provided," TotalEnergies said.
The two associations had filed a first complaint in October, which was dismissed on 10 January by the National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor's Office (Pnat), which is competent in the matter. An appeal to the public prosecutor of the Paris Court of Appeal was also rejected on 27 February.
"The refusal of justice to investigate is not explained in view of the very heavy body of evidence we have and the very detailed nature of the complaint," say their lawyers, William Bourdon, Vincent Brengarth and Henri Thulliez.
According to the complaint seen by AFP, "by continuing to exploit a field" producing gas condensate and then transformed into fuel after the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, TotalEnergies "contributed to providing the Russian government with the necessary means to commit war crimes" in that country.
© 2023 AFP