Ken Saro-Wiwa: Trial against Shell delayed for third time.
Saro-Wiwa trial delayed for third time
A civil trial has been further delayed over the alleged involvement of Anglo-Dutch supermajor Shell in the executions of protesters in Nigeria in the 1990s, according to a US judge's order filed today.
A conference in the case in Manhattan federal court was postponed to Wednesday from Monday, the order said.
No reason was given for the indefinite delay of the trial in the order, signed by US District Judge Kimba Wood, according to a Reuters report.
Jury selection had been previously scheduled for next week.
Shell is accused of human rights abuses, including violations connected with the 1995 hangings of prominent activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other protesters by Nigeria's then-military government.
Shell has denied allegations of involvement.
The case was brought by relatives of Saro-Wiwa and others under a 1789 U.S. statute, the Alien Tort Claims Act, allowing noncitizens to file cases in US courts for human rights abuses occurring overseas.
The case is Wiwa, et al v Anderson, et al 01-01909 in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.