Geneva, June 2, 2026. Special Rapporteurs and Independent Experts of the UN Human Rights Council issued a Joint Statement today expressing their condemnation of the escalating threats, coercive measures, and the weaponization of the justice system by the United States against Cuba.
“Efforts to change the constitutional order of a sovereign State through threats and coercion echo colonial-era practices.” “Statements by the US president regarding the ‘honor of taking Cuba’ reflect a deeply concerning strategy of coercion against a sovereign state. This assertion is not mere rhetoric, but part of a broader strategy involving the long-standing embargo on Cuba, its listing as a State- sponsor of terrorism, the recent fuel blockade, and the imposition of coercive measures on third parties,” they stated.
They describe the recent indictment by the United States government against Army General Raúl Castro as a violation of the principles of sovereign equality and self-determination enshrined in the UN Charter and as a misuse of domestic judicial proceedings against sitting or former heads of State as an instrument of coercive foreign policy.
They also noted that the announcement of the deployment of the US aircraft carrier USS Nimitz to the southern Caribbean underscores an additional element of unlawful coercion, contravening Articles 2(4) and 2(7) of the UN Charter, as interpreted by the International Court of Justice.
In their public statement, the Experts and Special Rapporteurs of the Human Rights Council urged the implementation of several practical actions:
The government of the United States must immediately cease all threats against Cuba's sovereignty and revoke unilateral coercive measures.
All UN Member States must refrain from recognizing or applying such measures and take steps within the UN framework to uphold the international legal order.
The UN Security Council and General Assembly must urgently address the threats against Cuba as a matter affecting international peace and security.
The statement was issued by George Katrougalos, Independent Expert on the Promotion of a Democratic and Equitable International Order; Zaina Jallad, Special Rapporteur on the Negative Impact of Unilateral Coercive Measures on the Enjoyment of Human Rights; and Ben Saul, Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism and Human Rights.