Russia is making efforts to rejoin the United Nations Human Rights Council in an upcoming election, a move seen as a significant test of its international reputation.
The country was expelled from this prominent human rights body last April due to its invasion of Ukraine. Russian diplomats are now actively campaigning to secure re-election to the council for a fresh three-year term. The vote will be conducted next month, and the BBC has obtained a copy of the position paper that Russia is sharing with UN members to gain their support.
In the document revealed by the BBC, Russia pledges to address human rights issues adequately and aims to prevent the council from becoming a tool that serves the political interests of specific countries, understood to be a reference to Western nations. Diplomats suggest that Russia is seeking to rebuild its international credibility following allegations of human rights abuses in Ukraine and within its own borders.
A report presented to the Human Rights Council’s Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine highlighted ongoing evidence of war crimes, including torture, rape, and attacks on civilians. Additionally, a separate report by the UN’s special rapporteur for Russia emphasized a significant deterioration in the human rights situation within Russia, with critics of the invasion facing arbitrary arrest, torture, and mistreatment.
In the upcoming election scheduled for 10 October, Russia will compete with Albania and Bulgaria for the two seats on the council designated for central and eastern European countries. The vote involves all 193 members of the UN General Assembly in New York. Diplomats report that Russia is conducting an assertive campaign, including offering incentives such as grain and arms to smaller countries in exchange for their votes.
Russia’s position paper stresses its commitment to promoting cooperation, strengthening mutually respectful dialogue, and finding adequate solutions to human rights issues within the council. It aims to prevent the council from being used for the political interests of specific groups of countries and opposes the punishment of non-loyal governments for their independent external policies.
Russia was suspended from the Human Rights Council in April 2022, with 93 UN General Assembly members voting in favor, 24 against, and 58 abstaining. In its position paper, Russia attributes its suspension to “the United States and its allies.” However, a recent report by campaign groups deemed Russia “unqualified” for HRC membership and cautioned against re-electing it to the council.
The UK has expressed strong opposition to Russia’s bid to rejoin the Human Rights Council, citing widespread evidence of human rights abuses in Ukraine and against Russian citizens. The shadow foreign secretary, David Lammy, characterized Russia’s potential return as an affront to human rights and a damaging setback for the UN’s credibility. He called on the government to work intensively with countries that have abstained in the past to uphold the UN’s core values.
The election outcome will determine whether Russia can regain a seat on the Human Rights Council.
-BBC-
