Had Warned The Threat Of Consequences Of Voting At The General Assembly, Russia Still Suspended From The UN Human Rights Council

JAKARTA - Russia's membership of the UN Human Rights Council was finally suspended, after the majority of countries agreed to the resolution discussed at the General Assembly, although previously it had warned of the threat of consequences related to the vote.

A total of 93 countries led by the United States expressed support for this resolution, compared to 24 that rejected it including China and Iran, and 58 countries abstained including Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and India from a total of 193 members of the General Assembly.

Russia has previously warned UN member states, voting yes or abstaining on the US initiative to suspend Moscow from the Human Rights Council, would be seen as a 'unfriendly gesture' with consequences for bilateral relations, according to a note seen by Reuters on Wednesday.

The United States said Monday it would seek Russia's suspension after Ukraine accused Russian troops of killing hundreds of civilians in the city of Bucha.

A two-thirds majority of voting members, abstentions do not count, could suspend a country of the 47-member Human Rights Council based in Geneva, Switzerland for serious and systematic violations of human rights.

Russia's mission to the United Nations urged countries to "speak out against anti-Russian resolutions." It was not immediately clear how many countries received the note.

"It is worth mentioning that not only support for such an initiative, but also that an equal position in the vote (abstain or non-participation) would be considered a hostile gesture," the note read.

"In addition, the position of each country will be considered both in the development of bilateral relations and in dealing with important issues within the framework of the United Nations," the statement said.

The Russian mission to the United Nations declined to comment on the letter, as it was not published. Russia is in the second year of a three-year term on the Human Rights Council.

"Russia is blatantly and publicly threatening countries that choose to suspend them from the UN Human Rights Council, just further evidence Russia needs to be immediately suspended from the UN Human Rights Council," Olivia Dalton, spokeswoman for the US mission to the UN said on Wednesday.

It is known that since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, the Assembly has adopted two resolutions condemning Russia with 141 and 140 votes in favor. Moscow said it was carrying out "special operations" to demilitarize Ukraine.

Russia denies attacking civilians in Ukraine. Russia's UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said Tuesday, while Bucha is under Russian control "not a single civilian has suffered as a result of any violence."

The General Assembly has previously suspended a country from the Human Rights Council. In March 2011, the assembly unanimously suspended Libya due to violence against protesters by forces loyal to the leader at that time, Muammar Gaddafi.