Russia suspended from UN Human Rights Council

Russia’s membership to the Human Rights Council (HRC) was suspended on April 7, 2022 after the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) voted, 93 to 24, with 58 abstentions, including India, to adopt a resolution suspending Moscow from the UN body.

  • Russia was elected in UNHRC in 2020.
  • The resolution, ‘Suspension of the rights of membership of the Russian Federation in the Human Rights Council’, was proposed by a group of countries that included Ukraine, the U.S., the EU, several Latin American countries.
  • A resolution required a two-thirds majority of UNGA of those present and voting for adoption.
  • Abstentions do not count in the tally of those ‘present and voting’. India abstained for reasons of “substance and process”.
  • With this, Russia became the second country to have its membership rights stripped at the rights council, which was established in 2006.
  • In 2011, Libya was suspended by the assembly when upheaval in the North African country brought down longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi.

About UN Human Rights Council

  • The UN Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system, which is responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the world.
  • It replaced the former UN Commission on Human Rights. It was created by the UNGA on March 15, 2006, and the body met in its first session from June 19-30, 2006.
  • The Council meets at the UN Office in Geneva, Switzerland.
  • The Council is made up of 47 UN Member States who are elected by majority vote through a direct and secret ballot at the UNGA.
  • The members serve for three years and are not eligible for immediate re-election after serving two consecutive terms.
  • The Council’s Membership is based on equitable geographical distribution. Seats are distributed as follows:
  1. African States: 13 seats
  2. Asia-Pacific States: 13 seats
  3. Latin American and Caribbean States: 8 seats
  4. Western European and other States: 7 seats
  5. Eastern European States: 6 seats

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