A surprising turn of events ensued in the Alley of Flags at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva, where the Human Rights Council convenes. Russia, once a pivotal member of this esteemed council, has faltered in its bid to reclaim a seat.
In an unfortunate twist for the nation, Russia was expelled from the premier human rights body in April last year following the incursion of its forces into Ukrainian territory. The country harbored hopes of securing a new three-year term, which would underline the discord among UN member states on the conundrum of backing Ukraine.
However, the verdict saw Bulgaria and Albania clinching the two seats set aside for Eastern European countries. This development followed on the heels of a devastating missile strike by Russia, claiming 52 innocent lives in Hroza, a north-eastern village in Ukraine.
In the voting process, Russia could only muster 83 nods of approval from the 193 members of the UN’s general assembly, while Bulgaria received a commendable 160 votes and Albania secured 123. The Albanian envoy, Ferit Hoxha, had underscored the necessity for member states to demonstrate their refusal to let an instigator tackle a crisis akin to an ‘arsonist being a firefighter’.
In its defence, Russia had pledged to discover ‘adequate solutions for human rights issues’ and voiced its intention to prevent the council from devolving into a tool manipulated by a specific group of countries, ostensibly indicating the Western nations.
The country had been banking on restoring some of its international standing, after facing allegations of extensive human rights abuses within Ukraine and its national territory. The Russian representation had confidently predicted victory in the classified vote, alleging private empathy from numerous member countries, particularly those in the developing world. The secrecy seemingly allowed these nations to sidestep public ire from the Western world.
It is reported that Russia had campaigned adamantly, allegedly offering agricultural commodities and weaponry to smaller nations, as political sweeteners for securing their votes.
Vassily Nebenzia, Russia’s representative to the UN, leveled charges at the United States, claiming they spearheaded a campaign to block Russia’s re-entry into the council.
The story traces back to April 2022, when Russia was ousted from the council with 93 members voting in favor, 24 opposing the move, and 58 maintaining neutrality.
Looking ahead to 2024, the member countries set to grace the council for a three-year stint include Albania, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burundi, China, the Ivory Coast, Cuba, Dominican Republic, France, Ghana, Indonesia, Japan, Kuwait, Malawi, and the Netherlands.
