UN rights chief condemns US airstrikes on boats as illegal

The United Nations human rights chief has condemned recent US airstrikes targeting boats in the Caribbean and Pacific regions, stating they constitute violations of international human rights law. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk issued a strong statement on Friday, referencing a series of attacks since early September that have reportedly killed more than 60 people under circumstances he described as legally unjustifiable.

Legal Framework and US Justification

Turk directly challenged the legal basis presented by US authorities, who have defended the operations as part of anti-drug and counter-terrorism efforts governed by international humanitarian law. The UN official countered that combating cross-border drug trafficking is fundamentally "a law-enforcement matter, governed by the careful limits on lethal force set out in international human rights law." He emphasized that based on publicly available information, "none of the individuals on the targeted boats appeared to pose an imminent threat to the lives of others" that would legally justify the use of lethal force.

Calls for Investigation and Alternative Approaches

Describing the strikes and their "mounting human cost" as unacceptable, Turk urged Washington to "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." He called for "prompt, independent, and transparent investigations" into the incidents and recommended that the United States address illicit trafficking through lawful methods including interceptions, arrests, and prosecutions that respect due process and fair trial standards.