On The Protection Of Human Rights In The United Nations Economic Sanctions

As early as 1940s, economic sanctions had become an important tool of the collective security mechanism of UN Charter. As international law has explicitly prohibited the use of force, economic sanctions have become the main means for United Nations to address international issues with the role and powers of the UN increase since the 1990s.After the Cold War, human rights issues have attracted the attention of the international community. UN also has changed its aims of economic sanctions, as a result, humanitarian intervention has became the Main motivation of UN to impose economic sanctions. Human right issues and international peace and security have become the correlated theme existed in the sanction resolution of the Security Council. Therefore, with the increase of the use of economic sanctions and its humanitarian consequences, the protection of human rights under the UN economic sanctions had attracted the attention of international law scholars.As an important tool for UN to maintain international peace and security, economic sanctions relate closely with the protection of human rights. In accordance with the UN Charter and the relevant rules of international law, respect for human rights is a legal obligation of the United Nations. The maintenance of international peace and security and the promotion and protection of human rights should not only be the pillars of UN Charter, but also the important missions entrusted to UN by the Charter.Therefore, in order to avoid the humanitarian crisis and improve the impartiality and effectiveness, When considering, practicing and reviewing the sanctions, the Security Council should abide by UN Charter and the principles of international human rights law and humanitarian law.