The new United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights and international sanctions, Idriss Jazairy, welcomed the re-establishment of formal diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba announced last week, and called for the US embargo -which remains in force so far- to be lifted.
“The process of restoring fully normal relations between the two countries must imply the prompt lifting of the US embargo against Cuba,” said the independent expert tasked by the UN Human Rights Council with monitoring, reporting and advising on the negative impact of the unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights worldwide.
“The lifting of the embargo should put an end to its adverse social, economic and humanitarian consequences incurred for decades by the Cuban population, which the UN General Assembly has deplored in a number of resolutions,” Jazairy said Monday.
The independent expert commended US Secretary of State John Kerry, who spoke of a ‘fundamental decision to change a policy that didn’t work and that had been in place not working for far too long.’
The UN Human Rights Council established this new mandate in September 2014, in response to increasing concern by the UN human rights system and the international community about the negative impact of sanctions, including unilateral coercive measures, on the enjoyment of human rights, particularly their negative impact on the human rights of the civilian population of targeted countries.
by RTT Staff Writer
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RTT News, July 6, 2015
