Russia on Friday was voted off the United Nations Human Rights Council in a secret ballot. The two Eastern European countries on the council are now Hungary and Croatia. This is the first time one of the UN Security Council’s permanent members has not been on the UNHRC in a decade, The Guardian reported.
This comes after Russia’s role in bombing parts of Syria, as it supports the troops loyal to President Bashar al-Assad. Brazil, Croatia, Egypt, Hungary, Iraq, Japan, Rwanda, Tunisia and United States were states newly elected to the UNHRC.
However, Saudi Arabia, which is involved in bombings in Yemen, has been voted on to the 47-member council, along with China and Cuba. UN Watch Executive Director Hillel Neuer. told Reuters, “The re-election of China, Cuba and Saudi Arabia – regimes which systematically violate the human rights of their citizens – casts a shadow upon the reputation of the United Nations.”
The UNHRC has 13 seats for African states, sic for eastern European states, eight for Latin America and the Caribbean, and seven for Western Europe and other states.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!