The Wire Staff 
New Delhi: The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on April 3, Monday, adopted a resolution condemning the “negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights”.
India was among those that voted in favour of the resolution, a refreshing change from the abstentions India has recorded in the United Nations in the past year. But analysts say India has always voted against unilateral sanctions. It is another matter that it is abiding by sanctions on Iranian oil. India stopped importing oil from Iran in mid-2019 following sanctions on the country by the then Trump administration in the US.
The resolution was approved with 33 votes in its favour, 13 against, and one abstention (Mexico). Among the countries that rejected the text were, the United States and many of its NATO allies including the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Belgium, Finland, and also Ukraine.
The text titled A/HRC/52/L.18 was presented by Azerbaijan on behalf of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries.
The resolution held that unilateral coercive measures, legislation, and secondary sanctions were a violation of international law, norms and principles as well as the UN Charter. The text expressed “grave concern” over the negative impact of sanctions on human rights, including the right to development, which is recognised as a “universal and inalienable right” integral to all human rights.
The resolution called upon all states to “stop adopting, maintaining, implementing, or complying with unilateral coercive measures….in particular those of a coercive nature with extraterritorial effects.”