The UN General Assembly voted in 15 new members of the Human Rights Council today. Though they elected China and Burundi in closed, uncompetitive races, States voted against Russia’s return despite Moscow’s sustained pressure.
States should not vote for Russia as a member of the UN Human Rights Council in elections set to be held at the UN General Assembly on 10 October, say ISHR, Human Rights Watch, Human Rights House Foundation and other leading NGOs in an open letter.
ISHR delivered a statement at the 54th session of the HRC, urging UN member States not to vote for Burundi, China and Russia as they are not fit to sit at the Human Rights Council.
As Russian authorities continue to repress human rights defenders and criminalise dissent, States should ensure that the UN Human Rights Council renews a mandate to monitor and report on the human rights crisis in the country.
In October, States at the UN General Assembly are due to vote to elect 15 incoming members (of the total 47 seats) to the UN Human Rights Council, and 17 countries, including Russia, China and Burundi, are running for election.
ISHR has published ‘scorecards’ for States seeking election to the UN Human Rights Council for 2024-2026 to help inform voting States’ decisions in the upcoming election.
On 17 April 2023, ISHR submitted its annual submission to the report to the UN Secretary General on reprisals and intimidation against defenders engaging or seeking to engage with the UN and its human rights mechanisms.
States at the UN Human Rights Council have voted to establish a dedicated Special Rapporteur to monitor the dire and deteriorating human rights situation in Russia and report on violations committed against civil society.
In an open letter to representatives of all Member and Observer States, ISHR and a coalition of 8 international human rights organisations call for the UN Human Rights Council to adopt a resolution mandating a Special Rapporteur to monitor and report on the dire human rights situation in Russia.
In the case of ‘Ecodefence and Others v. Russia’, the European Court of Human Rights found the Russian ‘Foreign Agents Act’ incompatible with rights to freedom of expression and association.
