Alena Douhan

Alena Douhan (Belarusian: Алена Доўгань) of Belarus is the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of the unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights, as 25 March 2020.^[1] When appointed, she was a professor of International Law and the Director of the Peace Research Center at the Belarusian State University.^[2][3]

Education

Douhan earned a PhD at the Belarusian State University in 2005 and a Dr. habil. in International Law and European Law in 2015.^[2][3]

Special Rapporteur

According to the National Review, the role of Special Rapporteur was created by a 2014 resolution at the U.N. Human Rights Council introduced by Iran on behalf of the non-aligned movement, and Douhan is the second to occupy the role.^[4] The role is unpaid and its holder is not a member of the UN staff.^[3] Germany, France the United Kingdom and the United States voted against the resolution to create her role while Russia, China, Venezuela and Saudi Arabia voted for the resolution.^[5]

In May 2022, Hong Kong Free Press reported that, in 2021, Douhan received a $200,000 contribution from the Chinese government, $150,000 from Russia, and $225,000 from Qatar.^[6]

Qatar

Douhan was in Qatar for twelve days in November 2020 to assess the impact of sanctions imposed by neighbouring countries. She was due to report at the 48th session of the UN Human Rights Council, to be held in September 2021. In a preliminary statement, she urged the lifting of sanctions.^{[7][8][needs update]}

Syria

In December 2020, Douhan asked the U.S. to lift its sanctions against Syria, saying they "may inhibit rebuilding of Syria’s civilian infrastructure” destroyed by the conflict, and may “violate the human rights of the Syrian people”. Her comments were welcomed by the Syrian government, and rejected by the U.S. Special Envoy for Syria.^[9][10] In November 2022, Douhan visited Syria and again called on the U.S., the European Union and some Arab states to lift their sanctions, which, she said, were having a large negative effect "across all walks of life in the country" and were "leading to shortages in medicines and medical equipment that affect the lives of ordinary Syrians".^[11][12]

Venezuela

Douhan was due to visit Venezuela in August 2020 to investigate the impact of international sanctions.^[13] Before her visit, 66 Venezuelan NGOs (including PROVEA) asked Douhan in an open letter to consider the harmful impact of sanctions in the context of years of repression, corruption and economic mismanagement that predate the sanctions, and requested she meet independent press and civil society researchers.^{[14][15][16][17]}

She arrived on 31 January, and was welcomed on arrival by a government minister and the Venezuelan ambassador to the UN.^[15] She declared in her preliminary findings as she left on 12 February:^[18] that sanctions against Venezuela have had a noticeable negative impact on both the economy and the population.^[19] In her report, Douhan said that sanctions against Venezuela had worsened the economic and humanitarian crisis in the country, but that Venezuela's economic decline "began in 2014 with the fall in oil prices" and that "mismanagement and corruption had also contributed". The Venezuelan government welcomed the report, while the opposition accused her of "playing into the hands of the regime" of Nicolás Maduro.^{[1][20][21][22]} Douhan was harshly criticized by the Venezuelan civil society,^[23] and several non-governmental organizations pronounced themselves in social media with the hashtag "#Lacrisisfueprimero" (The crisis came first).^[24][25][26]

Iran

Douhan visited Iran in 2022 to assess the impact of U.S. sanctions on the human rights situation in the country. Iranian activists living outside the country were concerned that Iran would restrict the organisations and individuals she would be allowed to meet.^[27]

Publications

• Douhan, A. F. (2017) The Ukrainian Crisis: Wrong Responses of the International Community? in Czapliński, Władysław (2017). The case of Crimea's annexation under international law. Warsaw: SCHOLAR Publishing House. ISBN 978-83-7383-901-4. OCLC 1023629066.
• Douhan, A. F. (2018). Fundamental human rights and coercive measures: impact and interdependence. Journal of the Belarusian State University. International Relations, 1, 67–77. Retrieved from https://journals.bsu.by/index.php/internationalRelations/article/view/1307
• Douhan, Alena F. (2020) "CHANGING NATURE OF AN INDIVIDUAL IN INTERNATIONAL LAW." Kutafin University Law Review, vol. 5, no. 2, 2018, p. 290+. Accessed 10 June 2020.

References

1. "La rapporteuse de l'ONU juge " dévastateurs " les effets des sanctions sur le Venezuela". Le Monde.fr (in French). 2021-02-15. Retrieved 2021-03-11.
2. "Ms. Alena Douhan, Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of the unilateral coercive measures". Office of the High Commissioner. United Nations Human Rights. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
3. "¿Quién es Alena Douhan, la relatora de la ONU que visitó Venezuela?". EL NACIONAL (in Spanish). 2021-02-12. Retrieved 2021-03-11.
4. Quinn, Jimmy (2020-08-19). "Will a U.N. Human-Rights Expert Defend Belarus's Dictator?". National Review. Retrieved 2021-03-11.
5. "Is it time to lift sanctions on Syria? – DW – 11/15/2022". dw.com. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
6. Larson, Nina (20 May 2022). "UN expert Alena Douhan slammed over US$2000,000 contribution from China". Hong Kong Free Press. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
7. "Siege nations asked to lift anti-Qatar steps including ban on freedom of speech". Gulf-Times. 2020-11-12. Retrieved 2021-03-11.
8. "'Implement provisional measures decided in favour of Qatar'". Gulf-Times. 2020-11-12. Retrieved 2021-03-11.
9. "Syria blasts US for sanctions, following UN expert's remarks". AP NEWS. 2021-01-02. Retrieved 2021-03-11.
10. "US Syria Envoy 'categorically rejects' statement by UN rapporteur about Caesar Sanctions". Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East. 29 December 2020. Retrieved 2021-03-11.
11. Aji, Albert (11 November 2022). "UN envoy urges lifting of sanctions harming Syrian civilians". news.yahoo.com. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
12. "UN expert calls for lifting of long-lasting unilateral sanctions 'suffocating' Syrian people". OHCHR. 10 November 2022. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
13. "Venezuela security operations leave over 1,300 dead in five months, U.N. rights office says". Reuters. 2020-07-02. Retrieved 2021-03-11.
14. Calles, Óscar. "Carta abierta a la Relatora Especial, Alena Douhan, por su visita a Venezuela │ PROVEA". PROVEA (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-03-11.
15. Lusa, Agência (2021-02-02). "Venezuela. Relatora especial da ONU em visita para avaliar impacto de sanções internacionais". Observador (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2021-03-11.
16. "66 Venezuelan NGOs Pen Open Letter to UN Special Rapporteur on Sanctions". Washington Office on Latin America. 2021-02-03. from the original on 2021-02-03. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
17. Käufer, Tobias (2021-02-14). "UN-Sonderbericht: Schallende Ohrfeige für die Venezuela-Politik des Westens". DIE WELT (in German). Retrieved 2021-03-11.
18. "Maduro anuncia que este jueves 18 comienza la vacunación". CNN (in Spanish). 2021-02-18. Retrieved 2021-03-11.
19. "¿Quién es Alena Douhan, la relatora de la ONU que visitó Venezuela?". El Nacional (in Spanish). 2021-02-12. from the original on 2021-02-12. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
20. . DW.COM (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2021-06-11. Retrieved 2021-03-11.
21. Sequera, Vivian (2021-02-12). "U.N. envoy urges U.S. to relax Venezuela sanctions, drawing opposition rebuke". U.S. Retrieved 2021-03-11.
22. Moleiro, Alonso (2021-02-13). "Una relatora de la ONU afirma que las sanciones a Maduro "han agravado las calamidades de los venezolanos"". EL PAÍS (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-03-11.
23. Barráez, Sebastiana (17 February 2021). "Qué hay detrás del informe de la relatora especial de Derechos Humanos de la ONU para encubrir los crímenes contra presos políticos en Venezuela". infobae (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-02-18.
24. ""Falta mucho por decir": activistas venezolanos sobre informe de relatora de la ONU". Radio y Televisión Martí (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-02-18.
25. Martínez, Sammy Paola (2021-02-13). "Mariela Ramírez: Alena Douhan desconoció violaciones a los DD. HH. y desmantelamiento del Estado". El Pitazo (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-02-18.
26. "Oposición acusa a relatora de ONU de seguir narrativa de Maduro por sanciones". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 2021-02-12. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
27. Esfandiari, Golnaz. "Visit To Iran By Controversial UN Rapporteur Provokes Concerns". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. Retrieved 2024-03-11.