Will Russia Get Voted Back into the UNHRC?

After being isolated from the world stage for more than a year, Russia is looking at rejoining the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). But it’s unlikely that Moscow will get voted on October 10 because of its war crimes, including torture, attacks, and rape committed in Ukraine on civilians. 

Russia has sent a document to the UN members asking for their support. The Kremlin promises to find solutions for human rights issues. It will help stop the council from being utilized as an instrument for serving political wills of one group of countries. 

However, Mariana Katzarova – UN’s special rapporteur for Russia stated in a report two weeks ago that the human rights situation in Russia has deteriorated significantly. Moscow has subjected critics and activists against the war in Ukraine to arbitrary arrest and torture. 

Russia Will Not Back Off

Russia is desperate to get back on the UNHRC and is campaigning aggressively. Its luring small countries with grain and arms in return for their votes. Moreover, Moscow is reaching out to member countries saying it will “promote principles of cooperation and strengthening of constructive mutually respectful dialogue in the council to find adequate solutions for human rights issues”. 

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But it won’t be a smooth return for Russia. Various reports have highlighted human rights abuses and the ongoing war in Ukraine. A recent report by the UN Watch, the Human Rights Foundation, and the Raoul Wallenberg Center for Human Rights declared that Moscow was “unqualified” for membership of the HRC. 

Russia Continues to Abuse Human Rights

It said re-electing Russia while its war on Ukraine is still ongoing would be counterproductive for human rights. Admitting Russia into the Council would send a message that the United Nations is not serious about holding Russia accountable for its crimes in Ukraine. 

And the Russian President Vladimir Putin also has an international arrest warrant on him. He has been accused of war crime of unlawful deportation, and unlawful transfer of children from occupied Ukraine to Russia. According to the warrant, Putin is directly responsible and he failed to exercise control over civilians or military personnel who did the crimes.