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UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on US attacks in Caribbean and Pacific violating international human rights law
“UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has said that airstrikes by the United States of America on boats in the Caribbean and the Pacific violate international human rights law,” Shamdasani said.
“Over 60 people have reportedly been killed in a continuing series of attacks carried out by US armed forces against boats in the Caribbean and the Pacific since early September, in circumstances that the UN Human Rights Chief says ‘find no justification in international law’,” she said.
“These attacks – and their mounting human cost – are unacceptable,” Shamdasani added.
“The US must halt such attacks and take all measures necessary to prevent the extrajudicial killing of people aboard these boats, whatever the criminal conduct alleged against them,” she highlighted.
“The US has argued that these actions are part of necessary anti-drug and counter-terrorism operations, and amount to actions governed by international humanitarian law. But as has long been agreed among States, countering illicit trafficking of drugs across international borders is a law-enforcement matter, governed by the careful limits on lethal force set out in international human rights law,” the spokesperson said.
“Under international human rights law, the intentional use of lethal force is only permissible as a last resort against individuals who pose an imminent threat to life.
Based on the very sparse information provided publicly by the US authorities, none of the individuals on the targeted boats appeared to pose an imminent threat to the lives of others or otherwise justified the use of lethal armed force against them under international law,” Shamdasani said.
“The High Commissioner calls for prompt, independent, and transparent investigations into these attacks.”
The spokesperson continued: “While recognising the challenges involved in combating drug trafficking, the High Commissioner urges the US Government to adhere to international law, including as set out in counter-narcotics treaties to which the US is party.
“Türk calls on the authorities to maintain use of well-established law enforcement methods to respond to alleged illicit trafficking, including through lawfully intercepting boats and detaining suspects under the applicable rules of criminal law.
“The United States should investigate and, if necessary, prosecute and punish individuals accused of serious crimes in accordance with the fundamental rule of law principles of due process and fair trial, for which the US has long stood.”
For more information and media requests, please contact:
In Geneva
Ravina Shamdasani: +41 22 917 9169 / ravina.shamdasani@un.org
Jeremy Laurence: +41 22 917 9383 / jeremy.laurence@un.org
Marta Hurtado +41 22 917 9466 /marta.hurtadogomez@un.org
STORY: UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on US attacks on boats in Caribbean and Pacific
TRT: 03:17
SOURCE: OHCHR / UNOG
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: English/NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 31 October 2025 – GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
SHOTLIST
- Various Exterior shots: Palais des Nations
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has said that airstrikes by the United States of America on boats in the Caribbean and the Pacific violate international human rights law.
Over 60 people have reportedly been killed in a continuing series of attacks carried out by US armed forces against boats in the Caribbean and the Pacific since early September, in circumstances that the UN Human Rights Chief says “find no justification in international law.”
- Cut away: briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “ “These attacks – and their mounting human cost – are unacceptable.”
- Cut away: briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “ “The US must halt such attacks and take all measures necessary to prevent the extrajudicial killing of people aboard these boats, whatever the criminal conduct alleged against them.”
- Cut away: briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “The US has argued that these actions are part of necessary anti-drug and counter-terrorism operations, and amount to actions governed by international humanitarian law.”
- Cut away: briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “But as has long been agreed among States, countering illicit trafficking of drugs across international borders is a law-enforcement matter, governed by the careful limits on lethal force set out in international human rights law.”
- Cut away: briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “Under international human rights law, the intentional use of lethal force is only permissible as a last resort against individuals who pose an imminent threat to life.”
- Cut away: briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “Based on the very sparse information provided publicly by the US authorities, none of the individuals on the targeted boats appeared to pose an imminent threat to the lives of others or otherwise justified the use of lethal armed force against them under international law.”
- Cut away: briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “The High Commissioner calls for prompt, independent, and transparent investigations into these attacks.”
- Cut away: briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “While recognising the challenges involved in combating drug trafficking, the High Commissioner urges the US Government to adhere to international law, including as set out in counter-narcotics treaties to which the US is party.
- Cut away: briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “Türk calls on the authorities to maintain use of well-established law enforcement methods to respond to alleged illicit trafficking, including through lawfully intercepting boats and detaining suspects under the applicable rules of criminal law.
- Cut away: briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English)—Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR): “The United States should investigate and, if necessary, prosecute and punish individuals accused of serious crimes in accordance with the fundamental rule of law principles of due process and fair trial, for which the US has long stood.”
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