Following reports of Russian human rights violations in the war in Ukraine, the UN General Assembly has suspended Russia’s membership of the United Nations Human Rights Council. A corresponding resolution tabled by the United Kingdom and the US, among others, was adopted by the General Assembly in New York on Thursday.
93 members voted in favour, including Austria, Germany and the US. 58 members abstained. 24 members voted against, including Russia, Algeria, Bolivia, China, Cuba, North Korea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Iran and Syria. All in all, the necessary two-thirds majority was obtained, not counting the abstentions.
“An important sign”
Green spokeswoman for foreign policy and human rights, Ewa Ernst-Dziedzic, welcomed the result of the vote and described the move as a historic decision, which is a logical consequence of the flagrant violation of international law: “We have already demanded the exclusion of Russia and now we are pleased that the necessary quorum has been reached. Given the despicable war crimes committed by the Russian aggressor in Ukraine, for which there is now an enormous body of overwhelming evidence, this is a correct and important sign.”
Prevent study blocking
The atrocities uncovered in Bucha and other places in Ukraine should be investigated by international organizations as quickly and thoroughly as possible, MEP said. A blockade of this investigation by the Russian war crimes party in the Human Rights Council would therefore have been a disaster.
The text of the resolution states that “the right to membership of the Russian Federation in the Human Rights Council has been suspended”. Such a step had previously been requested many times by representatives of Western countries. The leading western industrialized countries (G7), including Germany, also said in a statement before the vote: “We are convinced that now is the time to suspend Russia’s membership of the Human Rights Council.”
No more attending meetings
While Russia will remain an official member of the Council until the end of its term, it will lose all rights of that membership. For example, the country can no longer participate in Human Rights Council meetings, not even as an observer.
The UN Human Rights Council is a Geneva-based subsidiary of the General Assembly, established in 2006 as a successor to the UN Human Rights Commission. It has 47 member states, each elected for a three-year term. Russia has been back on the council since 2020.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
