UN Human Rights Chief Commissioner calls on lifting Iran sanctions

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on Friday called for lifting or suspending sanctions against Iran to help the country in its fight against the Coronavirus.

Iran PressAmerica: In an interview with France 24, Michelle Bachelet called on the US to lift sanctions against Iran and Venezuela, stressing that the current situation requires such a move, in order to save lives.

"The medical exemptions to those sanctions touted by the Trump administration are too narrow and only a suspension or a lifting of the sanctions will have a real impact," Bachelet added. 

The UN human rights chief voiced concern that some governments were taking advantage of emergency powers, lockdown, and curfews to further stifle dissent and crackdown on political foes, human rights defenders, and journalists.

Michelle Bachelet also warned that if Israel were to annex the West Bank, as the new government plans to do, this would be an 'unacceptable' violation of international law.

She also said she was deeply worried about the worsening situation in Libya, noting that the warring parties had ignored the call for a ceasefire and admitting that the UN's efforts were unsuccessful for now.

The Islamic Republic of Iran has been battling with Coronavirus for the past two months, while US sanctions have created serious problems for this country in countering the disease.

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