Limitations of Imposing Economic Sanctions in Light of Human Rights Norms, Competition Rules and Social Rights

Today, the Justification of imposing the majority of economic sanctions is based on protecting human rights and enforcing the target state to observe them. However, with a more precise look at the effects of sanctions and their success or failure in achieving their goals, we could realize that sanctions are not appropriate instruments for promoting human rights. This inefficient tool entails adverse effects for human rights in the target country. These effects are often harmful because human rights depend on the revenue of governments; only with enough financial resources, a government is able to improve education, health, employment and other human rights norms. Evidently, trade is the most essential means for obtaining wealth resources necessary for promoting human rights status. Therefore, when economic sanctions create obstacles on this way, it cannot be expected that human rights norms as well as competition rules with a view to impose limitations on economic sanctions.