Supported By 93 Countries, UN Suspends Russia's Membership Of Human Rights Council: Russia Votes To Resign

Illustration of the United Nations General Assembly. (Wikimedia Commons/Basil D Soufi)

JAKARTA - The United Nations General Assembly on Thursday suspended Russia from the UN Human Rights Council, over reports of "gross and systematic violations and violations of human rights" in Ukraine, prompting Moscow to announce its withdrawal from the agency.

The US-led resolution garnered 93 votes in favor, while 24 countries voted no and 58 countries abstained. A two-thirds majority voting in the 193-member General Assembly in New York, abstentions not counted, was needed to suspend Russia from the 47-member Geneva-based Human Rights Council.

Speaking after the vote, Russia's deputy UN Ambassador Gennady Kuzmin described the move as an "illegitimate and politically motivated move". He later announced that Russia had decided to leave the Human Rights Council completely.

"You didn't resign after you were fired," Ukraine's UN Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya told reporters.

Russia is in the second year of a three-year term. Under Thursday's Hesolution, the General Assembly could have subsequently agreed to end the suspension.

But that cannot happen now that Russia has walked out of the council, as the United States did in 2018 over what it called a chronic bias against Israel and a lack of reform.

The United States was re-elected to the council last year. Suspension is rare. Libya was suspended in 2011 due to violence against protesters by forces loyal to then leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Meanwhile, US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the United Nations "sends a clear message that the suffering of victims and survivors will not be ignored."

"We ensure that persistent and violent human rights violators will not be allowed to occupy positions of human rights leadership at the United Nations," he said in remarks due to be presented to the General Assembly on Thursday.

The Human Rights Council cannot make legally binding decisions. His decision sends an important political message, however, and could permit an investigation. Last month the council opened an investigation into allegations of rights violations, including possible war crimes, in Ukraine.

Thursday's resolution was the third adopted by the 193-member General Assembly since Russia invaded neighboring Ukraine on February 24. Two previous General Assembly resolutions denouncing Russia were adopted with 141 and 140 votes in favor.

After abstaining on the previous two General Assembly votes, Russia's counterpart China opposed the resolution on Thursday.

"Hasty steps in the General Assembly, which force countries to choose sides, will exacerbate divisions among member states and intensify confrontation between the parties concerned, it is like adding fuel to the fire," the Chinese ambassador said. for the UN Zhang Jun.

Thursday's General Assembly text expressed "grave concern at the ongoing human rights and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine," particularly at reports of rights abuses by Russia.

Previously, Russia had warned countries that voting yes or abstaining would be seen as a "unfriendly gesture" with consequences for bilateral relations, according to a note seen by Reuters.

Russia says it is carrying out a "special military operation" aimed at destroying Ukraine's military infrastructure, denying attacking civilians. Ukraine and its allies say Moscow invaded without provocation.