UN set to vote on suspending Russia from Human Rights Council
CNN
By Richard Roth and Kate Sullivan, CNN
The United Nations General Assembly is expected to vote Thursday on whether to suspend Russia from the Human Rights Council.
A draft of the resolution seen by CNN says the General Assembly may “suspend the rights of membership in the Human Rights Council of a member of the Council that commits gross and systematic violations of human rights.”
The draft resolution adds that the council has “grave concern” regarding reports of “gross and systematic violations and abuses of human rights” and “violations of international humanitarian law” committed by the Russian Federation during its invasion of Ukraine.
The General Assembly would need to vote in favor by two-thirds to remove Russia from the UN Human Rights Council. If the resolution is passed, the measure would suspend Russia’s membership in the Council and launch a review of the matter, if the UN deems it appropriate.
A number of countries are expected to speak at the UN General Assembly ahead of the vote, including representatives from Russia and Ukraine.
The United States ambassador to the United Nations made a case for seeking the suspension of Russia from the Human Rights Council in front of the UN Security Council on Tuesday, something she and other UN member states have been pushing.
“Russia should not have a position of authority in a body whose purpose — whose very purpose — is to promote respect for human rights. Not only is it the height of hypocrisy — it is dangerous,” Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said.
“Every day, we see more and more how little Russia respects human rights,” she said.
Ultimately she argued, “Russia’s participation on the Human Rights Council hurts the Council’s credibility. It undermines the entire UN. And it is just plain wrong.”
This is a breaking story and will be updated.
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CNN’s Kate Sullivan contributed to this report.
