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An open call to all States to stop facilitating extrajudicial killings

 

We, the undersigned organizations, call on all States to immediately cease or refrain from supporting US extrajudicial killings in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean.  

Since September 2025, the United States military has killed more than 175 people aboard small vessels in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean. The identities of most victims remain unknown, and there is no evidence that they posed any imminent threat to individuals or to the United States. Nevertheless, the Trump administration has signaled that these unlawful attacks will continue and in fact escalate, including through land strikes. 

Legal experts, civil society, former US government lawyers, and former and current US servicemembers agree: the US is committing extrajudicial killings under international law. The right to life and due process are fundamental principles of international law. These strikes—conducted outside of armed conflict, without a charge or trial, and against individuals merely accused of engaging in drug trafficking, which does not constitute an imminent threat or armed attack—amount to clear violations of these rights.  

Third States can incur legal responsibility for aiding or assisting another State in their commission of internationally wrongful acts, including extrajudicial killings and crimes against humanity. Forms of cooperation such as intelligence sharing, access to military bases, and the provision of logistical support may meet the threshold for aiding and assisting where they facilitate the identification, tracking, and targeting of vessels. Given the public nature of these strikes and the glaring lack of a lawful justification, States cannot plausibly claim ignorance of the risks associated with their support. 

The consequences of the United States’ extrajudicial killings are being felt in communities across the region. Families awaiting the return of their loved ones may never know what happened to them and have no access to recourse. Coastal communities have witnessed human remains washing up on shore and fear for their lives when they trade and fish, sowing psychological trauma and undermining livelihoods.  

All States must immediately cease or refrain from providing any assistance that could contribute to these unlawful killings. Failure to do so facilitates the continuation of this lawless campaign, undermines the rule of law, and risks incurring legal responsibility under international law.

Undersigned

  1. Action Corps
  2. Action on Armed Violence (AOAV)
  3. Action Sécurité Éthique Républicaines
  4. Airwars
  5. AIVL
  6. Aksion Plus
  7. akzept e.V. Bundesverband für akzeptierende Drogenarbeit und humane Drogenpolitik
  8. Alianza Americas
  9. ALIANZA POR LA VIDA – “Yungas HOY”: con Justicia y Dignidad
  10. Alliance of Baptists
  11. Almonqith Organization for Human Rights
  12. American Civil Liberties Union
  13. American Friends Service Committee
  14. Amnesty International
  15. Asociación Costarricense de Reducción de Daños
  16. Asociación Costarricense para el Estudio e Intervención en Drogas
  17. Asociación para Políticas Públicas – APP
  18. Associazione Luca Coscioni
  19. AUBE: The Voice of Medical Cannabis Patients
  20. Broken No More
  21. Campaign Against Arms Trade
  22. Campaign for Peace, Disarmament and Common Security
  23. Cannabis Sans Frontières
  24. Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC)
  25. Center for Constitutional Rights
  26. Center for Economic and Policy Research
  27. Center for International Policy
  28. Center for Victims of Torture
  29. Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales (CELS)
  30. The Chamberlain Network
  31. CODEPINK
  32. Colombia Human Rights Committee
  33. Common Defense
  34. Comunita’ San Benedetto al Porto
  35. Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, U.S. Region
  36. Corporación Humanas
  37. Corporación Viso Mutop
  38. Correlation-European Harm Reduction Network (C-EHRN)
  39. Deutscher Hanfverband (DHV) – German Cannabis Association
  40. Drug Policy Alliance
  41. Drug Policy Network South East Europe
  42. Drugs and Human Rights Research Center, CIDDH
  43. Ecumenical Advocacy Network on the Philippines
  44. Elementa – Colombia
  45. Elementa – Mexico
  46. The Episcopal Church
  47. European Coalition for Just and Effective Drug Policies (ENCOD)
  48. Foreningen Tryggere Ruspolitikk
  49. Forum Droghe
  50. Friends Committee on National Legislation
  51. Fundación Latinoamérica Reforma
  52. Fundación Regional de Asesoría en Derechos Humanos INREDH
  53. Global Exchange 
  54. Harm Reduction International
  55. Health and Opportunity Network
  56. Help Not Handcuffs, Inc.
  57. HIV Legal Network
  58. Hope Border Institute
  59. Housing Works
  60. Human Rights and the Drug War
  61. Human Rights Defense Center
  62. Human Rights First
  63. Human Rights Watch
  64. IDLARC
  65. ImPact Coalition on Strengthening International Judicial Institutions
  66. Iniciativa Negra por Uma Nova Política de Drogas (Brazil)
  67. Institute for Policy Studies, Drug Policy Project
  68. Instituto RIA, AC
  69. Intercambios Civil Association
  70. International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC)
  71. International Network of People Who Use Drugs (INPUD)
  72. International Peace Bureau (IPB)
  73. JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF)
  74. Latin America/Caribbean Committee of the Loretto Community
  75. Latin America Working Group
  76. Lebanese Center for Human Rights (CLDH)
  77. Legacies of War
  78. Legalize!
  79. MADRE
  80. Mainline
  81. Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
  82. Massachusetts Peace Action
  83. Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
  84. Muslims for Just Futures
  85. My Brain My Choice Initiative (Germany)
  86. National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd
  87. National Immigration Law Center
  88. National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML)
  89. Netherlands Drug Policy Foundation
  90. A New PATH (Parents for Addiction Treatment & Healing)
  91. New York State Harm Reduction Association
  92. Oxfam America
  93. Parsec
  94. Peace Action 
  95. Peace Action New York State
  96. Pittsburgh-Matanzas Sister Cities Partnership 
  97. PREKURSOR Foundation
  98. Quixote Center
  99. Recovering Nepal
  100. Release (UK)
  101. Reprieve US
  102. Richmond Fellowship Nepal
  103. Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC)
  104. Safer Youth Norway
  105. SAOL Project
  106. September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows
  107. Shadow World Investigations 
  108. SOMOS SUR – Bolivia
  109. La Società della Ragione
  110. Società INformazione ETS
  111. SOHRAM-CASRA – Centre Action Social Réhabilitation et Réadaptation pour la Victime de la Torture et de la Guerre
  112. St. Ann’s Corner of Harm Reduction
  113. StoptheDrugWar.org
  114. The Swedish Peace and Arbitration Society
  115. Transform Drug Policy Foundation 
  116. Transnational Institute
  117. Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
  118. United for Peace and Justice
  119. The United Methodist Church – General Board of Church and Society
  120. Veterans Action Council
  121. Washington Brazil Office
  122. Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) 
  123. WHRIN
  124. Witness at the Border
  125. Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom