UN Calls for Adherence to International Law Following Deadly US Anti-Drug Operation
The United Nations (UN) Human Rights Office has called for compliance with international law in drug trafficking enforcement actions, following a U.S. military strike on a suspected drug vessel in the Caribbean that resulted in eleven casualties, reports 24brussels.
According to the U.S. Department of Defense, the operation resulted in the deaths of individuals deemed “narco-terrorists.” In light of these events, UN spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani asserted that drug trafficking does not warrant lethal force. “People should not be killed for using, trafficking, selling, or possessing drugs,” she stated during a press conference in Geneva.
Shamdasani highlighted the necessity of adhering to legal standards in anti-drug operations, emphasizing that the use of lethal force is only justified as a last resort against imminent threats to life. Furthermore, she stressed that all fatalities during such operations must be subjected to independent, prompt, and transparent investigations.
The UN reiterated the importance of respecting human rights and international legal frameworks in these operations. The statement comes in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement on Tuesday regarding the attack on a vessel purportedly linked to Venezuela, purportedly transporting drugs to the United States, ultimately leading to the loss of eleven lives.
