Russia's Failure to Regain Membership in the UN Human Rights Council

Continuing Western efforts to isolate Moscow on the international stage, Russia failed to regain membership in the UN Human Rights Council. During a secret ballot on Tuesday, October 10, in Geneva, Switzerland, to determine two seats for Eastern European countries in the UN Human Rights Council, Russia received the fewest votes compared to its rival countries, Bulgaria and Albania. According to Reuters, at the end of the voting, Bulgaria secured 160 votes and Albania 123 votes, defeating Russia, which garnered 83 votes. Louis Charbonneau, head of Human Rights Watch at the UN, called this outcome a 'strong signal' from UN members to the Russian regime, adding that 'a government responsible for countless war crimes and crimes against humanity has no place in the UN Human Rights Council.' Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in the winter of 2021, the UN General Assembly suspended Russia's membership in the Human Rights Council on April 7, 2022, with 93 votes in favor, 24 against, and 58 abstentions. Countries such as Iran, Belarus, Cuba, North Korea, and China were among those opposing Russia's expulsion. A UN investigative body has reported that Russia has committed widespread war crimes during the Ukraine war, including deliberate killings, torture, and the forced removal and transfer of Ukrainian children. The International Criminal Court has also charged Russian President Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, the Russian Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights, with committing war crimes through the illegal deportation of hundreds of Ukrainian children. The Kremlin has denied these accusations. Russia has assessed its failure to gain membership in the UN Human Rights Council as a result of unprecedented efforts by the United States. According to Reuters, several diplomats had previously suggested that due to 'fatigue' from the ongoing Ukraine war, Russia might have a reasonable chance of returning to the UN Human Rights Council. Despite Russia's defeat in the voting on Tuesday, the success of China and Cuba in gaining membership in the UN Human Rights Council has faced criticism from human rights defenders. Increasing evidence of 'Russian war crimes' has been reported by UN inspectors in Ukraine. The United States has sanctioned several Russian individuals and entities for the abduction of Ukrainian children. The mandate of the UN Commission of Inquiry into Russia's war crimes in Ukraine has been extended. The Czech Republic has replaced Russia in the UN Human Rights Council.