2021: UN
Expert, Alena Douhan, Urged the United States to Drop Sanctions on Venezuela
Dr Alena Douhan is a professor of International Law at the
Belarusian State University. She took up the function of the UN
Special Rapporteur on Unilateral Coercive Measures and Human Rights in March 2020. Douhan visited
Venezuela from February 1 to February 12, 2021 at the invitation of the
government. The purpose of the trip was to assess the impact of unilateral
sanctions on human rights by Venezuelans.
·
“The
Special Rapporteur met with the President and Vice-President, senior members of
the Government, the judiciary and the legislature, and the heads of the various
public services. She met representatives of political parties, trade unions,
the private sector and the church. She had consultations with international
organizations, national humanitarian organizations and other non-governmental
organizations working in areas relating to health, education, human rights, child protection, women, older
persons and indigenous populations. She also met medical personnel, teachers,
professors, independent researchers and members of the general public,
including victims and their families, especially in the health sector, and
visited schools, hospitals and primary health centres.” [1]
On February
12, 2021, The UN Office of the High Commissioner Human Rights (OHCHR) put out a
press release summarizing Douhan’s Preliminary report:[2]
·
“The UN Special Rapporteur on unilateral coercive measures and
human rights, Alena Douhan, today urged the United States, European Union and
other states to drop sanctions imposed against Venezuela. Douhan said the
sanctions have exacerbated pre-existing economic situations and have
dramatically affected the whole population of Venezuela.”
Douhan’s report was not covered by articles in the New York
Times, Washington Post nor by the BBC.[3] CNN reported:
·
“A
UN Special Rapporteur has issued a scathing report on the international
pressure campaign on Venezuela, calling on the United States, United Kingdom
and European Union to lift ‘devastating’ economic sanctions.”[4]
UN
Watch executive director Hillel Neuer criticized Douhan for failing to explain
how Venezuela’s economic “catastrophe” was caused by mismanagement and
corruption of the government. [5] Douhan’s Final Report was released on October
4, 2021. The Report was not covered by US media.
· “Sanctions on the oil, gold and
mining industries, the economic blockade, the freezing of Central Bank assets,
the targeted sanctions imposed on Venezuelans and third-country nationals and
companies have exacerbated the pre-existing economic and social crisis and had
a devastating effect on the entire population, especially those living in
poverty, women, children, older persons, persons with disabilities or
life-threatening or chronic diseases, and the indigenous population. No strata
of society has been untouched. She recommends that these sanctions, which were
imposed mostly in the name of human rights, democracy and the rule of law, be
lifted, as they undermine those very principles, values and norms.’[1]
1. UN Human Rights Council, Visit to
the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, October 4, 2021
2. UN OHCHR, UN Human Rights Expert
Urges to Lift Unilateral Sanctions Against Venezuela, February 12, 2021
3. . FAIR, UN Rebuke of US Sanctions on
Venezuela Met with Stunning Silence, March 10,2021
4. . CNN, US-led Sanctions on Venezuela
‘devastating’ to human rights, says UN Report, February 12, 2021
5. UN Watch, Venezuela Report: UN’s Alena Douhan Blames Western Sanctions for Country Collapse, September 15, 2021
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