Group of Friends of the UN Charter condemns before the Human Rights Council Cuba's presence on the unilateral list of countries allegedly sponsoring terrorism.

The 20 countries members of the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations, issued a forceful statement today before the UN Human Rights Council, condemning the re-inclusion of Cuba in the unilateral list drawn up by the United States government of countries allegedly sponsoring terrorism.

The statement was made during the dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the Defense of Human Rights in the Fight against Terrorism.

The Group reaffirmed its unwavering solidarity with the Cuban people and government, and demanded that the United States immediately and unconditionally end the criminal blockade against Cuba, comply with the 32 resolutions adopted by the UN General Assembly on the matter, and exclude Cuba from the arbitrary list.

Several Rapporteurs and Independent Experts of the Human Rights Council have denounced the negative impact of the blockade and the list on the realization of the human rights of the Cuban people.

STATEMENT BY THE GROUP OF FRIENDS IN DEFENCE OF THE UNITED NATIONS CHARTER, CONDEMNING THE RE-INCLUSION OF CUBA IN THE UNILATERAL LIST OF COUNTRIES ALLEGEDLY SPONSORING TERRORISM. 58th session of the Human Rights Council. Geneva, 11 March 2025.

Algeria, Belarus, Bolivia, China, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Iran, Laos, Mali, Nicaragua, Palestine, Russia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Syria, Uganda, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.

1. The Group of Friends in Defence of the UN Charter expresses its strong condemnation of the unjustified re-inclusion of Cuba on the arbitrary, illegal and unilateral ‘List of States allegedly sponsoring terrorism’, drawn up by the State Department of the United States.

2. This unacceptable action confirms the discrediting and non-transparent nature of this list and demonstrates the intention to tighten the criminal economic siege against Cuba in order to hinder its financial and commercial operations and to cause greater shortages among the Cuban people.

3. The unjust inclusion of Cuba on this list reinforces the negative impact of the criminal economic, commercial and financial blockade on the realization of the human rights of the Cuban people.

4. The Group recalls the repeated calls made to the United States government by several special procedures mandate holders, numerous States, international organizations, the civil society and other actors to remove Cuba from the list and lift the blockade.

5. The Group strongly rejects the political manipulation of the fight against terrorism.

6. The Group reaffirms its unwavering solidarity with the Cuban people and government and urges the United States government to immediately and unconditionally end the blockade, to comply with the 32 resolutions adopted by the UN General Assembly in this regard and to remove Cuba from the list of States allegedly sponsoring terrorism.

(Cubaminrex-Embacuba Ginebra)