Syria: UN rights expert launches official visit to assess effect of unilateral sanctions

GENEVA (10 May 2018) – A United Nations human rights expert, Idriss Jazairy, will visit the Syrian Arab Republic from 13 to 17 May to investigate the impact of unilateral sanctions on human rights, and make recommendations on how any negative effects can be mitigated or eliminated.

“The difficult circumstances in Syria require the international community to find ways to protect the human rights of ordinary citizens, and unilateral coercive measures may undermine them instead,” said the Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of the unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights.

“I want to examine, in the spirit of cooperation and dialogue, whether and to what extent the adoption, maintenance or implementation of current unilateral sanctions impedes the full realisation of the human rights of individuals, and how we can ensure protections are in place to allow for unimpeded humanitarian assistance to the country,” Mr Jazairy added.　 

The UN Human Rights Council established the Special Rapporteur’s mandate in September 2014, following concern by the UN human rights system and the international community about the negative impact of unilateral sanctions on the human rights of the civilian population. 

The Special Rapporteur will meet representatives of the Government as well other officials and groups, including civil society organisations, and representatives of the business and diplomatic communities in Damascus. 

A press conference will be held at the conclusion of the visit, on 17 May 2018, at 11 a.m., at the Four Seasons Hotel in Damascus. Access to the press conference is strictly limited to journalists.　 

The Special Rapporteur will present a comprehensive report of his findings and recommendations to the UN Human Rights Council in September 2018.

ENDS

Mr. Idriss Jazairy was appointed by the Human Rights Council as the first Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of the unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights. He took office in May 2015. Mr. Jazairy has extensive experience in the fields of international relations and human rights with the Algerian Foreign Ministry, the UN human rights system and international NGOs. He holds a M.A. (Oxford) in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, and an M.P.A. (Harvard). He also graduated from the Ecole nationale d’Administration (France). Mr. Jazairy is the author of books and of a large number of articles in the international press on development, human rights and current affairs. 　 

The Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity. 　

UN Human Rights, country page: Syrian Arab Republic 

For more information and media requests, please contact Stee Asbjornsen (+41 22 917 9827 /sasbjornsen@ohchr.org) or write to ucm@ohchr.org 

For media inquiries related to other UN independent experts please contact
Jeremy Laurence, UN Human Rights – Media Unit (+41 22 917 9383 / jlaurence@ohchr.org) 

This year is the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the UN on 10 December 1948. The Universal Declaration – translated into a world record 500 languages – is rooted in the principle that “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” It remains relevant to everyone, every day. In honour of the 70th anniversary of this extraordinarily influential document, and to prevent its vital principles from being eroded, we are urging people everywhere to Stand Up for Human Rights: www.standup4humanrights.org