GENEVA: Russia, which was previously removed from the UN Human Rights Council following its invasion of Ukraine, is attempting to regain a seat on the council in an upcoming vote at the UN General Assembly.
The vote, scheduled for Tuesday, will determine the election of 15 new members to the Geneva-based UN body, with terms running from 2024 to 2026.
Regional groups typically nominate candidates for the council, which the General Assembly typically approves. This year, two regional groups, Latin America and Eastern Europe, have more candidates than available seats. In Eastern Europe, Albania, Bulgaria, and Russia are vying for two seats.
Russia’s candidacy has faced skepticism, particularly in light of a recent missile attack in Ukraine that resulted in over 50 casualties. The US State Department expressed hope that UN members would reject Russia’s candidacy, citing alleged violations of international humanitarian law, including war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukraine.
#Russia to seek return to @UN Human Rights Council despite its continuing aggression against #Ukraine https://t.co/jNSauMBz7b@UN_HRC pic.twitter.com/IJn5P6hbLX
— Arab News (@arabnews) October 8, 2023
To secure a seat on the Human Rights Council, a country needs 97 votes from the UN’s 193 member countries. In April 2022, 93 countries voted to suspend Russia from the council, while 24 opposed the move. The upcoming vote will be by secret ballot, potentially revealing global divisions on the matter.
Some experts believe Russia is seeking support from countries sympathetic to its position but reluctant to publicly oppose Western powers. Others argue that Russia’s reentry into the council would be a public relations setback for the UN. China, another controversial candidate, is also facing scrutiny for its human rights record.
Human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch (HRW), have called on member countries to oppose Russia and China’s candidacies, citing concerns about their human rights records. HRW also urged countries to refrain from voting for Cuba and Burundi. Other candidates in the upcoming vote include Ivory Coast, Malawi, Ghana, Kuwait, Indonesia, Japan, the Netherlands, and France.
