Status: 08.04.2022 8:28 a.m
First, the UN General Assembly suspended Russia’s membership of the Human Rights Council with a large majority – then the country ended it itself. US President Biden called the vote “historic”.
The UN General Assembly passed a resolution suspending Russia’s membership of the Human Rights Council. The reason for this are the reports of gross and systematic violations of human rights in Ukraine.
The motion was approved with 93 votes in favor, 24 members voted against and 58 abstained. A two-thirds majority was required for the suspension to become effective – abstentions do not count. The text of the resolution states that “the right of the Russian Federation to become a member of the Human Rights Council is suspended”.
After the vote, Russia declared its membership in the UN body prematurely terminated.
Step already requested several times
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the suspension of membership “quite logical” and “absolutely fair”.
US President Joe Biden also welcomed the decision. “The Russian armed forces are committing war crimes. Russia has no place in the Human Rights Council,” he said. After the “historic vote”, Russia can no longer spread disinformation in the committee. Biden spoke of a “significant step” by the international community that shows “how Putin’s war has turned Russia into an international pariah”.
The pictures from Butscha and other places are appalling. The evidence that people have been raped, tortured or executed – and in some cases their bodies desecrated – “are a scandal to our common humanity”.
The United States initiated the application. The step had already been called for several times by representatives of Western countries. The group of seven leading industrialized countries (G7) had also spoken out in favor of this.
Marion Schmickler, ARD New York, on the suspension of Russia’s membership of the UN Human Rights Council
tagesschau24 6:30 p.m., April 7, 2022
No independent investigation yet
According to the RIA news agency, after the results were announced, Russia called the suspension “illegal”. The resolution has “no relation whatsoever to the real human rights situation on the ground,” said Russia’s deputy ambassador to the UN, Dmitry Polianski.
Various members justified their abstentions or votes against by saying that there had not yet been an independent investigation into the alleged war crimes.
The UN Human Rights Council was founded in 2006 as the successor organization to the UN Human Rights Commission. It is a sub-organ of the UN General Assembly based in Geneva. The 47 member states are elected for three-year terms.
Russia remains on the UN Security Council
However, Russia remains part of the United Nations – and a permanent member of the UN Security Council. The country has a right of veto there. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently accused the Security Council of failure in the Ukraine war.
UN General Assembly decides to exclude Russia from Human Rights Council
Antje Passenheim, ARD New York, April 7, 2022 8:45 p.m