This past Monday, the Ambassador from the United States to the United Nations has sounded the call for Russia to be entirely removed from the Human Rights Council of the United Nations.
“I am returning to New York to do two things. One: I will take this to the Security Council tomorrow morning and address Russia’s actions directly,” claimed Linda Thomas-Greenfield, as reported by a spokesperson. “Two: In close coordination with Ukraine, European countries and other partners at the UN, we are going to seek Russia’s suspension from the UN Human Rights Council.”
“Russia’s participation on the Human Rights Council is a farce. It hurts the credibility of the Council and the UN writ large. And it is wrong, which is why we believe it is time the UN General Assembly vote to suspend them,” continued Thomas-Greenfield.
This particular announcement was commended by Nikki Haley, the former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.
“Pushing Russia off of the Human Rights Council is the right move. It should be easy for every single country to support this,” stated Haley in a tweet. “As long as Russia sits on the council with China and Venezuela, it remains a joke and a disgrace to human rights.”
This call was also echoed by Liz Truss, the foreign secretary of the United Kingdom, to kick Russia out of the UN Human Rights Council.
“Given strong evidence of war crimes, including reports of mass graves and heinous butchery in Bucha, Russia cannot remain a member of the UN Human Rights Council,” stated Truss. “Russia must be suspended.”
“After these appalling crimes, Russia has no place on the Human Rights Council,” Truss stated as part of their press conference.
As highlighted by Haley, the UN Human Rights Council has quite a few countries on it that have extremely appalling human rights records. To go along with China, Russia, and Venezuela, various other members of that council include Cuba, India, Kazakhstan, Libya, Pakistan, Qatar, Somalia, Sudan, and the United Arab Emirates.
Additionally, notable former members of the council include Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Congo, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Uganda.
“The Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system made up of 47 States responsible for the promotion and protection of all human rights around the globe,” claims the organization. “It has the ability to discuss all thematic human rights issues and situations that require its attention throughout the year. It meets at the UN Office at Geneva.”
“With membership on the Council comes a responsibility to uphold high human rights standards,” claims the current members of the council.
The United Nations Human Rights Council was established first back in 2006 by the United Nations General Assembly and took over the role of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.