Russia ousted from UN Human Rights Council in historic vote

Russia has lost its bid to retain a seat on the UN Human Rights Council. The General Assembly recently elected 14 countries to the 47-member council. With 112 votes, Russia lost to Hungry and Croatia.

• This is the first time Russia has not been part of the UNHRC since the council’s inception in 2006.
• 80 different human rights organizations had signed a petition asking Russia be removed from UNHRC after Russia’s involvement in Syria’s civil war caused many to believe Russia is guilty of war crimes.

UNHRC:

It is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe and for addressing situations of human rights violations and make recommendations on them.

• It meets at the UN Office at Geneva.
• The Council is made up of 47 United Nations Member States which are elected by the UN General Assembly.
• The term of each seat is three years, and no member may occupy a seat for more than two consecutive terms.
• The council works closely with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and engages the United Nations’ special procedures.
• The General Assembly can suspend the rights and privileges of any Council member that it decides has persistently committed gross and systematic violations of human rights during its term of membership. The suspension process requires a two-thirds majority vote by the General Assembly.