Permanent state of emergency cannot be used as a justification or ground for unilateral sanctions
GENEVA (4 March 2021) - Emergency declarations by the U.S. Government that authorise unilateral sanctions are resulting in severe human rights violations and must be brought in line with International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), UN human rights experts said.
The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights obliges states to protect a wide range of human rights. While it allows governments to suspend the protection of certain rights during emergencies, this can only occur when the very existence of states is endangered. The states may suspend the protection of rights only where necessary to deal with the emergency, and only for as long as the emergency exists.