OHCHR / US CUBA SANCTIONS

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned on Monday that “the expansion of sanctions imposed by the U.S. against Cuba is causing widespread harm to the population and endangering lives. He urged that these sanctions be halted." OHCHR

• Video Length: 00:02:14
• Production Date: 8 June 2026
• Asset Language: English; Spanish
• Personal Subject: VOLKER TÜRK
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS- UNHCHR
• Subject Topical: HUMAN RIGHTS; SANCTIONS
• Geographic Subject: CUBA; UNITED STATES
• MAMS Id: 3583797
• Parent Id: 3583797
• Alternate Title: unifeed260608g

Description

STORY: OHCHR / US CUBA SANCTIONS
TRT: 02:14
SOURCE: OHCHR
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 08 JUNE 2026, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

Shotlist

1. Various shots, exterior, Palais des Nations
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Marta Hurtado, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
“UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned on Monday that the expansion of sanctions imposed by the U.S. against Cuba is causing widespread harm to the population and endangering lives. He urged that these sanctions be halted.”
“The U.S. declaration of a national emergency in January disrupted fuel shipments to Cuba, severely reducing the country’s fuel reserves. This has led to daily blackouts that now frequently exceed 20 hours. Additional sanctions imposed in May include measures with extraterritorial effects on private entities.”
“Such severe sanctions packages that target entire sectors of an economy and produce broad, indiscriminate, and harsh effects on populations are incompatible with basic principles of international human rights law.”
“Critical medical services such as oncology, dialysis, and maternal health are under severe strain. Recent public health data shows alarming trends, including a doubling of infant mortality and a decline in childhood cancer survival rates, since the fuel restrictions were imposed. Essential medicines are in critical short supply. Fuel shortages are disrupting the agri-food chain.”
“The High Commissioner called on business entities and institutions to avoid overcompliance and blanket disengagement, in accordance with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.”
“Given the tensions created by the situation and the increased risk of social unrest in Cuba, Türk urged the authorities to exercise utmost restraint and to respect the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly.”
3. Close up, exterior, OHCHR sign

Storyline

In a statement read by UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Marta Hurtado, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned on Monday (8 Jun) that “the expansion of sanctions imposed by the U.S. against Cuba is causing widespread harm to the population and endangering lives. He urged that these sanctions be halted.

The U.S. declaration of a national emergency in January disrupted fuel shipments to Cuba, severely reducing the country's fuel reserves by mid-May. This depletion has led to daily blackouts that now frequently exceed 20 hours. Additional sanctions were imposed in May, including some with extraterritorial effect on private entities.

Such severe sanctions packages that target entire sectors of an economy and produce broad, indiscriminate, and harsh effects on populations are incompatible with basic principles of international human rights law.

Critical medical services such as oncology, dialysis, and maternal health are under severe strain. Recent public health data shows alarming trends, including a doubling of infant mortality and a decline in childhood cancer survival rates, since the fuel restrictions were imposed. Essential medicines are in critical short supply. Fuel shortages are disrupting the agri-food chain.

The High Commissioner called on business entities and institutions to avoid overcompliance and blanket disengagement, in accordance with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

Given the tensions created by the situation and the increased risk of social unrest in Cuba, Türk urged the authorities to exercise utmost restraint and to respect the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly.”

PLEASE FIND THE SPANISH READOUT:

“El Alto Comisionado de las Naciones Unidas para los Derechos Humanos, Volker Türk, advirtió el lunes que la ampliación de las sanciones impuestas por Estados Unidos contra Cuba está causando un daño generalizado a la población y poniendo en peligro vidas humanas. Türk instó a que se suspendan dichas sanciones.

La declaración de emergencia nacional por parte de Estados Unidos en enero interrumpió los envíos de combustible a Cuba, lo que redujo gravemente las reservas de combustible del país a mediados de mayo. La falta de suministro de combustible ha provocado apagones diarios que ahora superan con frecuencia las 20 horas. En mayo se impusieron sanciones adicionales, incluidas algunas con efecto extraterritorial sobre entidades privadas.

Esos paquetes de sanciones, que se dirigen contra sectores enteros de una economía y producen efectos amplios, indiscriminados y severos en la población, son incompatibles con los principios básicos del derecho internacional de los derechos humanos.

Servicios médicos críticos como la oncología, la diálisis y la salud materna se encuentran sometidos a una gran presión. Los datos recientes de salud pública muestran tendencias alarmantes, entre ellas la duplicación de la mortalidad infantil. Hay una escasez crítica de medicamentos esenciales. Y la falta de combustible está alterando la cadena agroalimentaria.

El Alto Comisionado instó a las entidades empresariales a evitar el cumplimiento excesivo y la desvinculación generalizada, de conformidad con los Principios Rectores de las Naciones Unidas sobre las Empresas y los Derechos Humanos.

Dadas las tensiones generadas por la situación y el mayor riesgo de disturbios sociales en Cuba, Türk instó a las autoridades a actuar con la máxima moderación y a respetar los derechos a la libertad de expresión, de asociación y de reunión pacífica.”