Thanks to a federal court ruling, corporations that act badly abroad have to face legal repercussions at home. The 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals backed up decisions by two other appeals courts that found that corporations can be sued for war crimes and genocide under a 1789 law.

The Huffington Post reports the Alien Tort Statute. The case in question involves a multinational mining corporation that stands accused of responsiblility for 15,000 deaths in Papua New Guinea in 1988, calling in the military to use company equipment to suppress a revolt against the company.

The ruling could make it easier for foreign entities to sue American corporations, although the issue is still up in the air because the Supreme Court will have its say on the matter next year.

9th Circuit: Corporations Can Be Sued For Human Rights Violations Abroad [Huffington Post]

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