The United Nations (UN) General Assembly has on Thursday, April 7, 2022, suspended Russia from the UN Human Rights Council over reports of “gross and systematic violations and abuses of human rights” caused by Russian Troops in Ukraine.

The US-led the push and garnered 93 votes in favour of the suspension, while 24 countries voted ‘NO’, leaving 58 others who abstained from the voting process. The abstained member-countries rather suggested weakening international unity against Russia.

A two-thirds majority of voting members from the 193-member General Assembly in New York was required to make the suspension effective from the 47-member Geneva-based Human Rights Council. The suspension is the second ever meted out to a country from the Council. Libya was the first country to suffer such a fate in 2011 because of violence against protesters by forces loyal to then-leader, Muammar Gaddafi.

The countries that voted against the suspension included China, Moscow’s ally which has steadfastly abstained from criticizing the invasion. Others were Iran, the former Soviet Republic of Kazakhstan and communist Cuba, Belarus and Syria, as well as Russia itself. Despite pressure from Moscow not to cast a vote, several African countries only abstained, such as South Africa and Senegal. Also abstaining were Brazil, Mexico and India.

The US argued that this punishment of suspending Russia from the organization which is the UN’s main human rights eye, is more than symbolic and in fact intensifies Russia’s isolation over assault on Ukraine which started two months back.

Proposal by President Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has also called for Russia to be expelled from the UN Security Council “so it cannot block decisions about its own aggression, its own war”. But Washington has told Ukraine that there is little anyone can do regarding Russia’s position on the Security Council, where Russia rather holds a veto.

Match words with ‘action’

The world was recently outraged by images of scores of civilians executed and left in areas formerly controlled by Russian troops. This carnage has led to new rounds of sanctions against Russia. “The images out of Bucha and devastation across Ukraine require us to now match our words with action,” US Ambassador, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, on Monday, April 4, 2022, disclosed that she has pressed for Russia’s suspension from the Rights Council.

“We cannot let a member state that is subverting every principle we hold dear to continue to participate”
US Ambassador, Linda Thomas-Greenfield

Meanwhile, the Kremlin has denied atrocities committed by its Forces regarding the killing of civilians, claiming that the photos and videos of dead bodies in Bucha are “a staged performance” by Ukraine.

More than 10 Million People Displaced

According to the UN, more than 10 million people have been displaced since Russia invaded Ukraine on Thursday, February 24, 2022. Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister, Iryna Vereshchuk warned people in large parts of the East of the country to evacuate while still possible. Vereshchuk pointed to people in the Kharkiv, Donetsk and Luhansk Regions to as much as possible, leave now, or risk their life.