A/HRC/42/46 I. Introduction 1. The present report is the fifth annual report submitted to the Human Rights Council by the Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights. It was prepared pursuant to Council resolutions 27/21, in which the mandate of the Special Rapporteur is set out, and 36/10, by which that mandate is extended for a period of three years. II. Overview of the activities of the Special Rapporteur 2. On 28 June 2018, the Special Rapporteur made a presentation to the humanitarian task force on the Syrian Arab Republic to brief Member States on the human rights concerns arising from the implementation of sanctions on the Syrian Arab Republic. 3. On 17 October, the Special Rapporteur presented a report to the General Assembly in which he reviewed developments regarding unilateral sanctions applied to certain countries and addressed concerns arising from the use of unilateral sanctions in war and in peace (A/73/175). 4. On 7 March 2019, the Special Rapporteur participated in a panel discussion held by the Organization for Defending Victims of Violence. The discussion highlighted the human rights violations suffered by Iranians as a result of unilateral actions taken by the United States of America, including violations of the rights to health and food and the right to protection from extreme poverty. 5. On 29 May 2019, the Special Rapporteur led a panel discussion hosted by International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War on whether economic sanctions against the Syrian Arab Republic might be holding civilians hostage. He also met with Government officials and parliamentarians. 6. On 27 June 2019, the Special Rapporteur was the keynote speaker at an international seminar on unilateral coercive measures and their impacts hosted by the Embassy of Cuba in Austria. His presentation highlighted the human rights concerns arising from the use of unilateral sanctions on Cuba, Iran (Islamic Republic of) and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of). III. Recent developments regarding the use of unilateral sanctions A. Islamic Republic of Iran 7. The Special Rapporteur restates at the outset that the reimposition of a comprehensive trade embargo on the Islamic Republic of Iran, purporting to apply to third parties worldwide under the threat of adverse consequences for corporations also doing business in the United States is a significant step backwards (A/HRC/39/54, para. 34), especially since it violates Security Council resolution 2231 (2015) 1 and deprives the Islamic Republic of Iran of the relief to which it is entitled under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and Council resolution 2231 (2015). 8. Multiple credible sources point to instances of undue compliance with United States measures against the Islamic Republic of Iran. In particular, there has been a virtual collapse in trade between the European Union and the Islamic Republic of Iran in recent 1 Member States are obligated under Article 25 of the Charter of the United Nations to accept and carry out the decisions of the Security Council. 3