UN General Assembly votes to suspend Russia from its Human Rights Council

The United Nations General Assembly has voted in favour of the suspension of Russia from the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC). A vote on whether or not to suspend Russia from the Human Rights Council took place after the US envoy to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield made a case for seeking the suspension of Russia from the Human Rights Council in front of the UN Security Council on Tuesday.

The resolution received a two-thirds majority of those voting, minus abstentions, in the 193-member Assembly, with 93



nations voting in favour and 24 against. Fifty-eight nations including India abstained from the process. 

The meeting marked the resumption of a special emergency session on the Russian military action in Ukraine and followed reports of violations committed by Russian forces. Hundreds of civilian bodies were found in the streets including mass graves in the city of Bucha, a suburb of the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv following Russia’s withdrawal from the area.