• The 193-member UN General Assembly voted to adopt a draft resolution moved by the US to suspend Russia from the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

• The Human Rights Council is a United Nations body whose mission is to promote and protect human rights around the world.

• The resolution titled ‘Suspension of the rights of membership of the Russian Federation in the Human Rights Council’ was adopted with 93 votes in favour, 24 against and 58 abstentions. 

• Russia, China, Cuba, North Korea, Iran, Syria, Vietnam, were among those who voted against. 

• India abstained on the resolution. Those abstaining included Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brazil, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Malaysia, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka and UAE.

• Since January this year, India has abstained on many occasions on procedural votes and draft resolutions in the UN Security Council, the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council that deplored Russian aggression against Ukraine.

United Nations Human Rights Council 

• The Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe and for addressing situations of human rights violations and making recommendations on them. 

• It has the ability to discuss all thematic human rights issues and situations that require its attention throughout the year. 

• The Council was created by the United Nations General Assembly on March 15, 2006. 

• It replaced the former United Nations Commission on Human Rights.

• It meets at the UN Office in Geneva.

Membership of the Human Rights Council

• The Council is made of 47 Member States, which are elected by the majority of members of the General Assembly of the United Nations through direct and secret ballot. The General Assembly takes into account the candidate States’ contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights, as well as their voluntary pledges and commitments in this regard.

• The Council’s membership is based on equitable geographical distribution. 

Seats are distributed as follows:

•  African States: 13 seats

• Asia-Pacific States: 13 seats

• Latin American and Caribbean States: 8 seats

• Western European and other States: 7 seats

• Eastern European States: 6 seats.

• Members of the Council serve for a period of three years and are not eligible for immediate re-election after serving two consecutive terms.

• India was re-elected to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the 2022-24 term with an overwhelming majority. It is the sixth sixth term for India in the UNHRC. 

Suspension of Russia from UNHRC

• The General Assembly resumed its Emergency Special Session after a request from Antigua and Barbuda, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Georgia, Japan, Liberia, Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States and the Head of the Delegation of the European Union, on behalf of 27 members of the European Union.

• The General Assembly, by a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting, may suspend the rights of membership in the Council of a member of the Council that commits gross and systematic violations of human rights.

• Abstentions do not count and the resolution required two-thirds of yes/no votes to be adopted.

• The Assembly voted on the draft resolution that decides to suspend the rights of membership in the Human Rights Council of the Russian Federation. 

• Russia is a permanent member of the UN Security Council. 

• Russia joined the Human Rights Council in January 2021 as one of 15 countries elected by the General Assembly to serve three-year terms. Russia’s current membership on the Council ends in December 2023.

• Soon after the voting, Russia announced that it is quitting the Human Rights Council.

• This is not the first time that a Member State has had its membership of the Human Rights Council suspended. Libya lost its seat in 2011, following repression of protests by ruler Muammar Gaddafi, who was later overthrown.

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