The resolution to suspend Russia from the UN Human Rights Council was passed with 93 votes in favor, 24 against and 58 abstentions. The green light needed a two-thirds majority of the voting countries, abstentions do not count. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, on February 24, the UN General Assembly had already adopted two other resolutions promoted by Westerners: one denounces Moscow for the aggression (it got 141 votes in favor), the other is on the humanitarian situation (140 yes).
“Dialogue and negotiation are the only way out of the crisis in Ukraine. We strongly oppose the politicization of human rights issues,” said Chinese UN ambassador Zhang Jun after the vote on the suspension of the Russia by the Human Rights Council. Beijing is among the countries that voted no. “This resolution was not drafted in an open and transparent way”, he added, stressing that the move “aggravates divisions between member states, adds fuel to the fire, and does not help peace talks”. Mali, where the Russians have recently installed their military troops in place of the French, also voted against. India, on the other hand, abstained.
“A country that continually violates rights cannot sit on a body whose task is the protection of rights. Today, with the expulsion of Russia from the UN Human Rights Council, a wrong has been corrected”. This was stated by the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, at the end of the meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels.