It is a historic decision. The UN General Assembly on Thursday (April 7th) suspended Russia from its seat on the UN Human Rights Council because of the invasion of Ukraine. A decision “illegal”reacted the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Of the 193 member countries, 93 voted for, 24 against and 58 abstained. But abstentions were not taken into account in the two-thirds majority required among the only votes for and against.
This is the second suspension in the history of the UN, after the ousting of Libya in 2011. It was initiated by the United States. Among the countries that voted against was China, which denounced a “hasty approach”putting “fuel on the fire” and a “dangerous precedent”. Iran, Kazakhstan and Cuba also voted against. Unsurprisingly, Russia, Belarus and Syria opposed the proposed resolution on ballot.
Despite pressure in recent days from Moscow for countries to vote against, several African states, including South Africa and Senegal, have chosen to abstain, judging that the resolution suspending Moscow “prejudges the results of the commission of inquiry” created in early March by the Human Rights Council.
Brazil, like Mexico and India, all three currently non-permanent members of the UN Security Council, has adopted the same abstentionist position. Chile, on the other hand, voted in favour.
According to Washington, the suspension of Russia from the Human Rights Council, which sits in Geneva, is much more than symbolic and increases “isolation” of Moscow on the international stage since the invasion of Ukraine on February 24.
Ukraine said to itself “grateful” of this decision, affirming that the “war criminals” should not be represented there. For the Ukrainian ambassador to Ukraine, Vadym Omelchenko, guest of franceinfo on Thursday, this sanction against Moscow is “a very important sign”.