French Builder Vinci to Sue Over Claims of Forced Labor in Qatar

French construction giant Vinci vigorously denied allegations it had violated the rights of migrant workers helping to build stadiums for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and said it would sue the human rights group Sherpa over its claims. Paris-based Sherpa said it had asked the public prosecutor of Nanterre, a suburb of Paris, to open an investigation after it filed a complaint with the Nanterre court against Vinci's Construction Grand Projects division and the managers of its 49 percent-owned Qatari unit QDVC for "forced labor" and "keeping people in servitude". Vinci, which employs 3,500 people in Qatar and counts the wealthy Arab state as its second-largest shareholder, said it would sue Sherpa for libel and that the claims "severely" hurt its image.