UN slams ‘unacceptable’ US sanctions causing child deaths in Cuba

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, has stated that tighter US sanctions on Cuba are unacceptable and are directly harming the Cuban population, particularly vulnerable groups. According to Turk, these restrictions have led to an increase in infant mortality and a decrease in survival rates for child cancer patients. He explained that the sanctions, including the cutting off of fuel shipments, are depriving Cuba's 10 million people of access to water, food, and healthcare. Turk emphasized that children are dying because medical professionals lack essential supplies and medicines, and he called for the immediate lifting of these sanctions.

The UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, has called for the immediate lifting of US sanctions on Cuba, stating they are directly harming the Cuban population, particularly children. Turk warned that fuel restrictions and tightened extraterritorial sanctions, implemented since early 2026, are leading to increased death rates, with doctors lacking access to essential medical supplies. He cited statistics indicating a doubling of infant death rates and a decline in childhood cancer survival rates. Turk acknowledged Cuba's human rights record but emphasized that the sanctions, which have isolated the island and disrupted essential services like healthcare and transportation, violate international human rights law. He described the situation as a "perfect storm" for suffering, exacerbated by the approaching hurricane season and rising temperatures.