March 13: ACLU, Center for Constitutional Rights to Underscore the Serious Harm of U.S. Boat Strikes at Inter-American Commission on Human Rights Hearing in Guatemala
Experts from the U.N., the ACLU, International Crisis Group and Center for Constitutional Rights Will Speak to International Human Rights Body About U.S. Strikes that Have Killed Nearly 150 Civilians at Sea
WHAT:
On March 13, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights is holding its first-ever hearing on the legality of U.S. boat strikes and the harm they are causing communities across Latin America. This comes after the ACLU and other human rights groups urged the body to take action.
At the convening, the ACLU, the Center for Constitutional Rights, and their partners will present on how the U.S. government’s problematic lethal-strike policy violates international law and is an unconstitutional claim of executive power. The convening will also underscore the government’s duty to investigate these extrajudicial killings, hold officials accountable for these human rights violations, and detail how the IAHCR can hold the U.S. accountable. The United States will then have the opportunity to respond.
Following the hearing, IACHR is expected to take action that could establish the harmful nature of the U.S. strikes on the international stage and detail how the United States can begin to redress those harms.
WHO:
- Jamil Dakwar, director of the ACLU’s Human Rights Program
- Steven Watt, senior staff attorney in the ACLU’s Human Rights Program
- Angelo Guisado, senior staff attorney at the Center for Constitutional Rights
- Brian Finucane, senior advisor in the U.S. Program of the International Crisis Group (virtually)
- Morris Tidball-Binz, the UN special rapporteur on extra-judicial summary or arbitrary executions (virtually)
- Ben Saul, the UN special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism (virtually)
All will be available for interviews before and after the hearing.
WHEN:
March 13, 2026, at 4:00 PM Central Standard Time.
WHERE:
Inter-Continental Hotel, Guatemala City, Guatemala
Press are welcome to attend in person, or they can register for the Zoom livestream here or watch on YouTube.
If you are attending in person, please fill this form out or reach out to the IACHR Press Office at cidh-prensa@oas.org.
CONTACT: Allegra Harpootlian (media@aclu.org) or Jen Nessel (press@ccrjustice.org)