The United Nations General Assembly will vote on a draught resolution to expel Russia from the UN Human Rights Council on Thursday. The move was prompted by harrowing images of bodies strewn across the streets of Bucha, Ukraine, with Washington describing “Moscow’s participation in the top human rights body as a farce.”
Following a request from Antigua and Barbuda, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Georgia, Japan, Liberia, Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Head of the European Union Delegation on behalf of 27 EU members, the UNGA will resume its Emergency Special Session on Thursday.
The Assembly will vote on a draught resolution that will determine to suspend the Russian Federation’s rights to participation in the Human Rights Council.”
The Human Rights Council is made up of 47 member states that are elected by secret vote by the majority of the General Assembly members.
The UN General Assembly can suspend the rights of a member of the Council who commits egregious and systematic abuses of human rights by a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting. Abstentions do not count, and the resolution must be approved by a two-thirds majority of yes/no votes.
The draught resolution, titled “Suspension of the Russian Federation’s Rights of Membership in the Human Rights Council,” takes note of the Human Rights Council’s resolution of March 4, 2022, expressing grave concern about reports of gross and systematic violations of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law committed by Russia during its aggression against Ukraine.
The draught resolution expresses deep concern over the ongoing human rights and humanitarian situation in Ukraine, including reports of human rights violations and abuses, as well as violations of international humanitarian law, by Russia, including severe and systematic violations and abuses.
It acknowledges UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ and High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet’s strong declarations of concern.
Ukraine, Antigua and Barbuda, Canada, Colombia, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Republic of Moldova, United Kingdom, and United States, according to Paulina Kubiak Greer, spokesperson for General Assembly President Abdulla Shahid.
Earlier this week, US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield informed reporters in Bucharest, Romania, that Washington will pursue Russia’s suspension from the UN Human Rights Council in close collaboration with Ukraine, European nations, and other UN allies.
Russia should not hold a position of power in that council, and we should not enable Russia to exploit its position on the Council as a propaganda weapon to claim it is concerned about human rights, she had stated.
“In reality, we read terrible news about how little they care about human rights every day, including yesterday.” The fact that Russia is a member of the Human Rights Council is a sham. It tarnishes the Council’s and the UN’s overall credibility. And it’s plain incorrect. As a result, she believes it is past time for the UN General Assembly to suspend them.
Since January, India has abstained on at least 11 procedural votes and draught resolutions denouncing Russian aggression against Ukraine in the UN Security Council, the General Assembly, and the Human Rights Council. New Delhi unambiguously denounced the profoundly troubling allegations of civilian fatalities in the Ukrainian city of Bucha on Tuesday, expressing support for the request for an impartial inquiry and emphasising that when innocent human lives are at risk, diplomacy is the only feasible choice.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday that the news of civilian fatalities in Bucha had “seriously upset” India.
“We strongly deplore the assassinations that have occurred there.” “This is a very serious subject, and we support the request for an impartial inquiry,” he stated in response to a debate over the situation in Ukraine in Parliament.
India favours negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, even at the level of their presidents, according to Jaishankar, who added that New Delhi would be “happy to participate” if it could help in any way. He stated that India’s strategy will be to promote discussion in order to end the violence.
Since the Council last considered the situation in Ukraine, there has been no meaningful progress. The security situation, as well as its humanitarian consequences, have only worsened, India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador T S Tirumurti, told a UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine on Tuesday, which was addressed for the first time by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Russia’s term on the Council will expire in December 2023. Libya was the only member state to be suspended from the Geneva-based Human Rights Council in 2011, when the General Assembly adopted an unprecedented resolution expressing deep concern about the human rights situation in Libya following Muammar Al-violent Gaddafi’s crackdown on anti-government protestors.
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