NAIROBI, Kenya – Apple’s latest iPhone launch has been met with protests and calls for a global boycott, as activists accuse the technology giant of benefiting from mineral supply chains linked to child labour, armed conflict and human rights abuses in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The campaign, branded “Say No to Blood Tech,” saw demonstrators gather outside Apple stores in several cities on October 23, the launch day of the company’s new iPhone Duo.
Protesters carried placards bearing messages such as “No to Apple Blood Tech” and urged consumers to stop purchasing Apple products until the company addresses concerns over the sourcing of minerals used in its devices.
The campaign is being coordinated by Apples Against Apartheid, a collective of current and former technology workers working alongside Congolese activists and other advocacy groups.
Organisers argue that minerals extracted in eastern Congo, including cobalt and coltan, are connected to supply chains that have been linked to exploitation, forced labour and the financing of armed groups.
The DRC is a major global source of cobalt and also produces minerals such as tin, tantalum and tungsten, which are used in electronics and other industrial products. Activists say weak traceability and the movement of minerals through regional and international trading networks make it difficult to guarantee that products are free from links to abuses.
The campaign has called on Apple to investigate and publicly disclose the human rights impacts of its business practices, engage directly with Congolese communities and prevent minerals controlled, taxed or trafficked by armed groups from entering its supply chain.
Apple disputes conflict-mineral allegations
Apple has denied wrongdoing and says it maintains responsible sourcing standards for its suppliers.
In its 2024 Conflict Minerals Report, covering products manufactured during that year, the company said it found no reasonable basis to conclude that identified smelters or refiners in its supply chain had directly or indirectly financed or benefited armed groups in the DRC or neighbouring countries.
Apple also acknowledges the difficulty of tracing individual mineral shipments through complex supply chains. Its report notes that information from smelters and refiners is often aggregated across customers, meaning the precise origin of minerals in particular Apple products cannot always be established.
The controversy has also moved into the courts. In November 2025, a Washington-based advocacy organisation, International Rights Advocates, sued Apple over allegations that minerals linked to armed groups and labour abuses in Congo and Rwanda had entered its supply chain. Apple has rejected accusations of wrongdoing.
The latest boycott campaign therefore adds public pressure to an existing dispute over how technology companies monitor mineral sourcing and demonstrate that their products are not connected to abuses in conflict-affected regions.
For activists, the demand goes beyond Apple abandoning Congolese minerals altogether. They say the company should ensure that responsible mineral sourcing supports legitimate local producers and benefits communities in the DRC rather than excluding the country from global supply chains.
The campaign has put the human cost of technology production back in the spotlight, challenging consumers to consider the origins of the materials inside the devices they buy.
