Russia suspended from Human Rights Council by UN

Russia suspended from Human Rights Council by UN
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GB News Reporter

By GB News Reporter


Published: 07/04/2022

- 17:07

The voting result was 93 in favour, 24 against and 58 abstentions

The United Nations General Assembly has voted to suspend Russia from the Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

The voting result was 93 to 24 to suspend Russia from the human rights body, with 58 abstentions.


A draft of the resolution says the General Assembly may "suspend the rights of membership in the Human Rights Council of a member of the Council that commits gross and systematic violations of human rights."

Russian President Vladimir Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin
Reuters

Following the vote, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said Russia was now a “global pariah”.

She said “the barbaric actions of Putin’s regime in Ukraine and the mounting evidence of war crimes mean Russia can no longer have a seat” on the Human Rights Council.

The Foreign Secretary has called for the “maximum level” of sanctions over the atrocities in Ukraine and has pressured European allies to go further in their punishment of Putin.

It comes days after horrific images emerged of civilian bodies littering the streets in the Kyiv province, Bucha.

The UK is set to step up the supply of arms to Ukraine after Kyiv pleaded for greater firepower to fight back against the Russian invasion.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the UK is “certainly looking at what more military assistance we can give” as Nato allies considered how to bolster Ukraine’s resistance.

Ukrainian generals have visited the UK to see some of the kit that could potentially be offered, including armoured vehicles which could offer troops protection from Russian attack as they move around the war zone.

Mr Johnson said Vladimir Putin’s forces have engaged in a “systematic slaughter of innocent people” in Ukraine and the world is now overwhelmingly on the side of Kyiv.

In a statement after the Nato talks in Brussels, Ms Truss said: “Along with the United Kingdom, we’ve seen a number of allies committing to banning Russian energy imports, and we hope to see more countries do the same.

“It was also very positive to have the likes of Australia, Japan and other Pacific countries in the room because we all recognise that, as well as the threat from Russia, there is a threat of economic coercion from China and we discussed what we must do to counter this in Europe.

“We haven’t just seen the shattering of European security, but the shattering of global security and that’s why the entire free world needs to respond.”

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss made the announcement on social media
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss made the announcement on social media
@trussliz

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