On Sunday, Dec. 10, the world celebrates U.N. Human Rights Day. This day commemorates the adoption of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the first internationally ratified document to outline the fundamental human rights of all people.
On this 75th anniversary of the UDHR, we are reflecting on the slogan “Freedom, Equality and Justice for All,” and taking account of the ways in which the United States is failing to adhere to its commitments under the declaration.
Lethal Strikes
Earlier this year, the U.N. Human Rights Committee found that the U.S. continues to violate many of its human rights obligations.
Earlier this year, the U.N. Human Rights Committee found that the U.S. continues to violate many of its human rights obligations.
Article three of the UDHR provides that “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.” Yet, the committee noted with concern the U.S. use of lethal force outside of recognized war zones. Canadian member Marcia V. J. Kran stated that the “use of lethal drone strikes outside of recognized theaters of conflict is presumptively illegal” and violates “the right to life as the supreme right from which no derogation is permitted.”
Since 2001, at least 22,000 civilians have been killed in U.S. airstrikes. While the Pentagon developed a new plan in 2022 to minimize civilian casualties from drone strikes, this policy applies only to strikes carried out by the Department of Defense.
This instrument has not been applied to secret strikes carried out by the Central Intelligence Agency, which have killed hundreds of civilians. Furthermore, there remains a complete lack of transparency and accountability for CIA strikes, and the United States rarely provides any form of compensation to victims or their families.
Guantanamo and Torture
According to Articles nine and five of the UDHR, “No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile,” and “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”
But a 2014 Senate report, as well as numerous testimonies from detainees, have shed light on the widespread use of torture at the Guantánamo Bay detention center and overseas U.S. prisons. While so-called “enhanced interrogation techniques” are no longer in use, a visit earlier this year by the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Terrorism found that current conditions in the prison continue to amount to torture.
The U.N. Special Rapporteur found that current conditions in the prison continue to amount to torture.
At its peak, Guantánamo held about 780 detainees. Today, 30 remain. Many of these detainees have been held for more than 20 years without charges. In 2021, the Biden administration began working towards closing Guantánamo, resulting in the transfer of ten detainees. But recent progress has been slow and there remains no proposed timeline for its closure.
Freedom, Equality and Justice for All
As we celebrate the 75th Human Rights Day, the U.S. must commit to ending the lethal strikes program and finally close Guantánamo Bay. Doing so would affirm the United States’ belief in the universality of human rights and its commitment to the UDHR.
Important steps towards achieving these goals include expeditiously re-locating Guantanamo detainees who have been cleared for transfer and adopting the bipartisan Drone Reform Act to end the CIA’s drone program.
The U.S. must commit to ending the lethal strikes program and finally close Guantánamo Bay.
As we reflect on the state of human rights around the world, we cannot ignore the violence occurring right now in Israel and Palestine. The terrorist attack carried out by Hamas on Oct. 7 and Israel’s indiscriminate retaliation have led to a devastating loss of Israeli and Palestinian lives. Today, over 130 hostages are being held by Hamas and an estimated 17,000 Palestinians have been killed, including approximately 6,600 children. There are widespread reports of war crimes and other atrocities, as well as devastating health and humanitarian crises.
The U.S. must work to ensure no more lives are lost by utilizing its diplomatic relationship with Israel to work towards a ceasefire. U.S. military aid and arms transfers cannot be permitted to contribute to the egregious human rights violations occurring in the region.
Quaker values call us to believe in the inherent dignity of all human lives. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights provides us with a concrete outline on how to protect that dignity. On this 75th Human Rights Day, let us ensure that the United States remains a champion of human rights by taking the steps necessary to live up to the crucial tenets of that fundamental document.
