Russia Fails to Regain Seat in UN Human Rights Council

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Russia Fails to Regain Seat on UN Human Rights Council

In the election of new member states for the UN Human Rights Council, Russia fell short with 83 votes, failing to regain a seat on the body after being expelled for its invasion of Ukraine. The country faced tough competition from Albania and Bulgaria, who secured the two available seats in the Eastern European regional group. Albania received 160 votes, while Bulgaria received 123 votes from the 193 member states.

While controversial candidates like China and Cuba managed to secure seats, France, the Netherlands, Ivory Coast, and Japan also won positions without any competition. The vote, held at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, was secret, making it impossible to determine which countries voted in favor of the candidates. China received 154 votes, while Cuba received 146.

Peru was also left out of the Human Rights Council, despite receiving 108 votes, surpassing the minimum requirement of 97 votes. However, it received fewer votes compared to the other candidates from the Latin American and Caribbean region, including Cuba, Brazil, and the Dominican Republic.

The final list of countries that secured seats on the Human Rights Council for the next three years includes Albania, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burundi, China, Ivory Coast, Cuba, Dominican Republic, France, Ghana, Indonesia, Japan, Kuwait, Malawi, and the Netherlands.

Prior to the election, the Human Rights Watch organization urged UN representatives to abstain from voting for China and Cuba, citing concerns over the treatment of critics and political prisoners in both countries.

Despite missing out on a seat, Russia’s unsuccessful bid serves as a reminder of the international community’s continued condemnation of its actions in Ukraine. The Human Rights Council plays a crucial role in monitoring and promoting human rights globally and its membership carries significant weight in shaping international human rights policies.