INTERVENTION BY
MR. AHMAD RADZI MOHD ZIM
LONG-TERM DELEGATE TO THE 77th SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY
PERMANENT MISSION OF MALAYSIA TO THE UNITED NATIONS
DURING THE INTERACTIVE DIALOGUE WITH
PROFESSOR ALENA DOUHAN
SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF UNILATERAL COERCIVE MEASURES ON THE ENJOYMENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS
THIRD COMMITTEE OF THE 77TH UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY
UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK, 14 OCTOBER 2022
Madam Chair,
Malaysia would like to align itself with the statement delivered by Azerbaijan on behalf of NAM.
We would like to commend Special Rapporteur Professor Alena Douhan for her work and her most recent report on the impacts of unilateral sanctions in the context of the cyber domain. As people become more and more dependent on the internet in our daily lives, the imposition of cybersanctions will result in equally or much more devastating impacts to targeted States, particularly to their civilian populations.
Malaysia’s position on unilateral coercive measures is clear and consistent. We firmly oppose all forms of unilateral economic, financial and commercial embargo that contravene the norms of international law as well as purposes and principles of the United Nations as set forth in its Charter. We strongly believe that no State should impose unilateral economic, commercial or financial embargo against other States.
Madam Chair,
The continued imposition of unilateral sanctions including cybersanctions, as countries continue to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic in our view is a violation of the right to life and health, especially those of vulnerable groups, amongst others children, older persons, and the sick. We share the concerns of the Special Rapporteur with regard to prohibitions in exportation of hardware and software that can facilitate pandemic mitigation efforts in targeted countries. Such actions, in addition to undermining the principle of States' sovereignty, impede the ability of targeted countries to effectively respond to the pandemic and recover better post-pandemic.
We urge States that apply or implement unilateral coercive measures against targeted countries to immediately cease such practice and to resolve their disputes amicably through dialogue and negotiations. Further delays in ending unilateral coercive measures will be detrimental to the innocent populations in the targeted countries and hamper efforts to maintain international peace and security in general.
Madam Chair,
As the definition of cybersanctions is still ambiguous, Malaysia believes that imposing countries will use this loophole to impose sanctions in the cyber domain towards targetted countries. In Our question to the Special Rapporteur is - what is the current status with regard to defining the concept of cybersanctions globally?
I thank you.