On Thursday, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) voted to suspend Russia from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) following reports of its military’s atrocities in Bucha, with 93 out of the 193 members voting in favour, 24 voting against, and 58 abstaining.
The grave crimes committed by Russian forces against the Ukrainian civilian population are incompatible with membership of a UN body which defends and promotes human rights.
— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) April 7, 2022
Today’s decision by UNGA to suspend Russia from @UN_HRC sends this clear message. #Accountability pic.twitter.com/NTwSC6RpCQ
Following Russia’s military retreat from Kyiv and surrounding regions, Bucha gained international attention as crimes committed by the Russian forces were made public. Ukrainian officials said that they found bodies with their hands tied behind their backs in Bucha, claiming that Russian troops executed over 400 civilians.
Several Western powers, such as the United States (US), Canada, and Germany, called on Russian President Vladimir Putin and the military’s actions to be tried as war crimes. However, the Kremlin dismissed these reports as “fake” and fabricated by Ukrainian authorities.
In a fresh attempt to gather support against Russia’s atrocities, a draft resolution titled “Suspension of the rights of membership of the Russian Federation in the Human Rights Council’ was initiated by the US and introduced by Ukraine. It sought to suspend Russia’s membership over its actions in Bucha and other parts of Ukraine during its military invasion. While presenting the draft resolution, Ukrainian Ambassador to the UN Sergiy Kyslytsa declared, “Russia is not only committing human rights violations, it is shaking the underpinnings of international peace and security.”
Suspending RF’s participation in the @UN_HRC is an important step. This is another punishment for RF’s aggression against 🇺🇦. Grateful for the partners’ solidarity. We must continue coordinated pressure on RF at all international forums. Let's force RF to seek peace together!
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 7, 2022
After the resolution was successfully passed, Ukraine said that it was “grateful” that the Assembly had chosen “the right side of history” and that “war criminals” were no longer representing the body. Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba stated, “War criminals have no place in UN bodies aimed at protecting human rights.”
Russia’s rights of membership in the UN Human Rights Council has just been suspended. War criminals have no place in UN bodies aimed at protecting human rights. Grateful to all member states which supported the relevant UNGA resolution and chose the right side of history.
— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) April 7, 2022
Likewise, US President Joe Biden lauded the vote as a “meaningful step” towards making Putin an “international pariah.” He reiterated that Russia is committing “war crimes in Ukraine,” making it inappropriate for Moscow to retain its position in the HRC. Along the same lines, American Secretary of State Antony Blinken remarked that the vote was historic and noted that “a wrong has been righted.”
The full list of 93countries that voted in favour of the resolution is: Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Granada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kiribati, Latvia, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Micronesia, Monaco, Montenegro, Myanmar, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, St Lucia, Samoa, San Marino, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Turkey, Tuvalu, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, and Uruguay.
However, China voted against Russia’s suspension, arguing that the resolution was not introduced with proper consultation about its prospective impact on the ongoing conflict. In his explanation, UN Ambassador Zhang Jun observed, “The draft resolution before us will deprive a country’s legitimate membership in the Human Rights Council. Such an important matter must be handled with the utmost delicacy, calmly, objectively, and rationally, on the basis of facts and truth.”
#China's envoy Zhang Jun @ChinaAmbUN said on Thursday before the vote of suspending #Russia from the U.N. #HumanRights Council, "dealing with the membership of the Human Rights Council in such a way would set a new and dangerous precedent, it is like adding fuel to the fire." pic.twitter.com/1aPlarFkk4
— Ifeng News (@IFENG__official) April 8, 2022
Just as it did at the UN Security Council on Tuesday, Zhang said “the reports and images of civilian deaths in Bucha are disturbing” but added that the “relevant circumstances and specific causes of the incident must be verified and established.” He added that “any accusations should be based on facts” and urged members to “avoid unfounded accusations.”
He also made a thinly-veiled criticism of the US, saying, “Some individual countries, while talking loudly about peace, are obsessed with creating bloc confrontations, including provoking tensions in the Asia-Pacific region.”
Asserting that the document was “not drafted in an open and transparent manner,” he called the introduction of the resolution a “hasty move” that “forces countries to choose sides,” and could potentially deepen differences and confrontations between members.
China was joined by 24 countries, including Iran, Zimbabwe, and Belarus, in voting against the resolution. In comparison, on March 24, merely five members voted against a resolution that condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and demanded a ceasefire; the same five countries opposed a similar resolution on March 2 as well. Therefore, this has been the highest level of support Russia has received at the UN since the Ukraine war began on February 24.
The following countries voted against the resolution: Algeria, Belarus, Bolivia, Burundi, Central African Republic, Congo, Cuba, North Korea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Mali, Nicaragua, Russia, Syria, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe.
Explanation of Vote by Ambassador Zhang Jun at the Emergency Special Session of the UN General Assembly on the Draft Resolution on Suspension of the Rights of Membership of the Russian Federation in the Human Rights Council
— Chinese Mission to UN (@Chinamission2un) April 7, 2022
Full text:https://t.co/zX5AEM2Diu pic.twitter.com/o0LPWhLw3T
In fact, even countries that abstained voiced their opposition to the suspension because there had been no independent inquiry into Ukraine’s allegations against the Russian military’s actions in Bucha. For instance, South Africa’s representative, Mathu Joyini, asserted that Thursday’s resolution was “premature and prejudges the outcomes of the commission of inquiry.” This concern was echoed by Brazil as well, which stated that an independent inquiry into the reports must be conducted before the drastic decision.
Meanwhile, explaining India’s decision to abstain from the vote, Permanent Representative to the UN T.S. Tirumurti commented that New Delhi’s position of promoting “peace, dialogue, and diplomacy” remains unchanged. He reiterated India’s stand that there could be “no solution” achieved “by shedding blood and at the cost of innocent lives.” He emphasised that the abstention reflects that India has chosen the “side of peace,” adding, “We firmly believe that all decisions should be taken fully respecting due process, as all our democratic polity and structures enjoin us to do. This applies to international organisations as well, particularly the United Nations.”
However, he repeated what he said on Tuesday at the UNSC by “unequivocally” condemning the Bucha massacre and demanding an independent investigation.
#IndiaAtUN
— India at UN, NY (@IndiaUNNewYork) April 7, 2022
11th Emergency Special Session of UN General Assembly on #Ukraine
Action on resolution for suspension of Russian Federation from @UN_HRC
📺Watch: Explanation of Vote by Permanent Representative @AmbTSTirumurti ⤵️@MEAIndia @DrSJaishankar @harshvshringla @PMOIndia pic.twitter.com/JLNsM6Ac0T
India abstained on the UN General Assembly vote this morning. I made a statement of Explanation of Vote ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/d2jD83tLoK
— PR/Amb T S Tirumurti (@ambtstirumurti) April 7, 2022
Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives were also amongst the 58 countries that joined India in abstaining from the vote. The full list of abstainers comprises: Angola, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Bhutan, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Egypt, El Salvador, Eswatini, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mexico, Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, St Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, the United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu, and Yemen
Following its ouster from the UNHRC, Russian UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia called the decision “unbelievable.” “This is again unprecedented and this will not facilitate or encourage or be helpful to what is happening between Russia and the Ukrainian peace talks,” he added. Similarly, Russia’s Deputy UN Ambassador, Gennady Kuzmin, called the move an “illegitimate and politically motivated step,” claiming that the motion was “an attempt by the United States to maintain its dominant position and take control.”
#Kuzmin: 🇷🇺considers the adopted GA resolution on suspension of our rights of membership in #HRC as a politically motivated step designed as a demonstrative punishment of 🇺🇳member that carries out independent internal & external policies.
— Russia at the United Nations (@RussiaUN) April 7, 2022
🔗https://t.co/3usyKNknKz pic.twitter.com/ZPCASFdMLC
Furthermore, an official statement released on the Russian Mission to the UN’s Facebook page said that the resolution was based on concern for “human rights” but merely in pursuance of the “geopolitical priorities of the collective West,” which it said seeks to “punish” those who disagree with them.
Furthermore, the statement declared that Russia had “made a conscious decision” to withdraw from the UNHRC, as several countries had used the Council for its “opportunistic purposes” and “monopolised” the HRC. However, it clarified that this did not mean that Russia would withdraw its “international obligations in the human rights sphere” but would continue to engage in “constructive human rights dialogue” with “all interested parties.”
The statement also sought to highlight the hypocrisy of the US, saying that its own history with human rights is questionable. It pointed out that Washington is party to just five human rights agreements, with several of them not ratified yet even after over 50 years. The release further proclaimed that the US is merely a “true leader” in terms of the “number of unilateral coercive measures” that it has imposed on other countries in an effort to force “pseudo-democratic foundations” in nations away from its territories.
Thursday’s decision was the second time that the Assembly had voted in favour of suspending a member, the first being Libya in 2011. However, this is the first time a permanent member of the UN Security Council was removed from the HRC. The HRC comprises of 47 members who have been elected directly by the General Assembly in a secret vote. According to its rules, the Assembly has the power to “suspend the rights of membership in the Council of a member that commits gross and systematic violations of human rights” by securing a two-thirds majority.