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
Action Corps
Action on Armed Violence (AOAV)
Action Sécurité Éthique Républicaines
Airwars
AIVL
Aksion Plus
akzept e.V. Bundesverband für akzeptierende Drogenarbeit und humane Drogenpolitik
Alianza Americas
ALIANZA POR LA VIDA – “Yungas HOY”: con Justicia y Dignidad
Alliance of Baptists
Almonqith Organization for Human Rights
American Civil Liberties Union
American Friends Service Committee
Amnesty International
Asociación Costarricense de Reducción de Daños
Asociación Costarricense para el Estudio e Intervención en Drogas
Asociación para Políticas Públicas – APP
Associazione Luca Coscioni
AUBE: The Voice of Medical Cannabis Patients
Broken No More
Campaign Against Arms Trade
Campaign for Peace, Disarmament and Common Security
Cannabis Sans Frontières
Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC)
Center for Constitutional Rights
Center for Economic and Policy Research
Center for International Policy
Center for Victims of Torture
Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales (CELS)
The Chamberlain Network
CODEPINK
Colombia Human Rights Committee
Common Defense
Comunita’ San Benedetto al Porto
Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, U.S. Region
Corporación Humanas
Corporación Viso Mutop
Correlation-European Harm Reduction Network (C-EHRN)
Deutscher Hanfverband (DHV) – German Cannabis Association
Drug Policy Alliance
Drug Policy Network South East Europe
Drugs and Human Rights Research Center, CIDDH
Ecumenical Advocacy Network on the Philippines
Elementa – Colombia
Elementa – Mexico
The Episcopal Church
European Coalition for Just and Effective Drug Policies (ENCOD)
Foreningen Tryggere Ruspolitikk
Forum Droghe
Friends Committee on National Legislation
Fundación Latinoamérica Reforma
Fundación Regional de Asesoría en Derechos Humanos INREDH
Global Exchange
Harm Reduction International
Health and Opportunity Network
Help Not Handcuffs, Inc.
HIV Legal Network
Hope Border Institute
Housing Works
Human Rights and the Drug War
Human Rights Defense Center
Human Rights First
Human Rights Watch
IDLARC
ImPact Coalition on Strengthening International Judicial Institutions
Iniciativa Negra por Uma Nova Política de Drogas (Brazil)
Institute for Policy Studies, Drug Policy Project
Instituto RIA, AC
Intercambios Civil Association
International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC)
International Network of People Who Use Drugs (INPUD)
International Peace Bureau (IPB)
JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF)
Latin America/Caribbean Committee of the Loretto Community
Latin America Working Group
Lebanese Center for Human Rights (CLDH)
Legacies of War
Legalize!
MADRE
Mainline
Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
Massachusetts Peace Action
Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
Muslims for Just Futures
My Brain My Choice Initiative (Germany)
National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd
National Immigration Law Center
National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML)
Netherlands Drug Policy Foundation
A New PATH (Parents for Addiction Treatment & Healing)
New York State Harm Reduction Association
Oxfam America
Parsec
Peace Action
Peace Action New York State
Pittsburgh-Matanzas Sister Cities Partnership
PREKURSOR Foundation
Quixote Center
Recovering Nepal
Release (UK)
Reprieve US
Richmond Fellowship Nepal
Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC)
Safer Youth Norway
SAOL Project
September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows
Shadow World Investigations
SOMOS SUR – Bolivia
La Società della Ragione
Società INformazione ETS
SOHRAM-CASRA – Centre Action Social Réhabilitation et Réadaptation pour la
Victime de la Torture et de la Guerre
St. Ann’s Corner of Harm Reduction
StoptheDrugWar.org
The Swedish Peace and Arbitration Society
Transform Drug Policy Foundation
Transnational Institute
Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
United for Peace and Justice
The United Methodist Church – General Board of Church and Society
Veterans Action Council
Washington Brazil Office
Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA)
WHRIN
Witness at the Border
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom