The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) states that, under international human rights law, intentional use of lethal force is permitted only as a last resort against a person who represents an imminent threat to life; otherwise such use would violate the right to life and may constitute an extrajudicial killing.
October 31, 2025
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OHCHR articulation of limits on use of lethal force under international human rights law.