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UN General Assembly to vote today on draft resolution seeking to suspend Russia from UN Human Rights Council
United Nations, April 7
The UN General Assembly will vote on Thursday on a draft resolution seeking to suspend Russia from the UN Human Rights Council, a move initiated by the US after harrowing images emerged of corpses strewn across streets of the Ukrainian city Bucha, with Washington terming Moscow's participation in the top human rights body as a "farce".
The UNGA will resume its Emergency Special Session on Thursday after a request from Antigua and Barbuda, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Georgia, Japan, Liberia, Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, the UK, the US and the Head of the Delegation of the European Union, on behalf of 27 members of the EU bloc.
The Assembly will vote on a draft resolution that will decide to "suspend the rights of membership in the Human Rights Council of the Russian Federation".
The Human Rights Council consists of 47 member states, elected directly and individually by secret ballot by the majority of the members of the General Assembly.
The General Assembly, by a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting, "may suspend the rights of membership in the Council of a member of the Council that commits gross and systematic violations of human rights". Abstentions do not count and the resolution requires two-thirds of yes/no votes to be adopted.
The draft resolution titled 'Suspension of the rights of membership of the Russian Federation in the Human Rights Council' notes the Human Rights Council resolution of March 4, 2022, in particular its grave concern regarding reports of "gross and systematic violations and abuses of human rights" and "violations of international humanitarian law" committed by Russia during its aggression against Ukraine.