International Council Supporting Fair Trial and Human Rights renews its rejection of unilateral economic sanctions on Syria

Geneva, SANA- International Council Supporting Fair Trial and Human Rights renewed its rejection of unilateral coercive economic sanctions imposed on Syria by the United States and the European Union, stressing that these measures are a flagrant violation of all international conventions and it is a crime against humanity committed against the Syrian people.

The Council affirmed in a statement during the 45th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva that these western coercive economic sanctions had a big impact on the Syrian people livelihood and its economy, also affected the health sector in Syria in light of the spread of Coronavirus and affected the pharmaceutical industry, the produced items and the sources of their raw materials and their prices.

The statement said that within the work of the 43rd session of the Human Rights Council, a resolution was adopted stressing that unilateral coercive measures  are inconsistent with international law, international humanitarian law, the United Nations’ Charter and the rules and principles governing peaceful relations among states, it also expressed deep concern about their negative impacts on human rights and the right in the development, international relations, trade, investment and cooperation.

It pointed out that a group of independent human rights’ experts of the United Nations called on countries to lift or at least reduce sanctions to allow affected countries and societies to access vital supplies needed to combat the (Covid 19) pandemic, noting that the sanctions imposed in the name of human rights work are in reality killing the people and depriving them from their basic rights, including the right of health and food and the right in the life itself.

In its statement, the International Council called on member states and relevant United Nations agencies to take concrete measures to abolish those coercive measures and to avoid using economic, political or other measures.

The International Council also affirmed that it hopes the Human Rights Council in its 45th session and all concerned bodies in the United Nations to take practical and effective measures to end these unilateral coercive sanctions on the Syrian people to avoid their disastrous effects.

Nisreen Othman/ Mazen Eyon