The Russian government now wants to rejoin the UN Human Rights Council despite continuing its invasion of Ukraine.
The question is, will the United Nations accept Russia's latest request? Here are the major details you need to know.
Russia Wants to Rejoin UN Human Rights Council
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting to discuss the Ukrainian peace process at the German federal Chancellery on October 19, 2016 in Berlin, Germany. The leaders of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany, known as the Normandy Four, met in Berlin.
The UN Human Rights Council decided to expel Russia in April 2022 because it is invading Ukraine, which is against the human rights body's purpose. The United Nations HRC was established as an intergovernmental body to promote and protect all human rights worldwide.
HRC has over 40 member countries, including the United States, Australia, Mexico, Ukraine, Peri, Pakistan, etc. Russia decided to join this human rights body in January 2021. But, just a few months after, an assembly was conducted to expel Russia from the intergovernmental body. More than 90 nations voted that Russia should be removed. Meanwhile, 24 nations voted against the decision.
Those who voted in favor of Russia were China, North Korea, Vietnam, Iran, Syria, and Chuba. Now, Russian diplomats are urging the United Nations to allow the Kremlin to rejoin HRC. They even seek a fresh three-year term since Russia was expelled against its will. The document sent by Russian diplomats said that the Kremlin would find adequate solutions for human rights issues.
Aside from this, the Russian government said it will try to stop the UN Human Rights Council from becoming "an instrument which serves political wills of one group of countries." According to BBC News, Russia is most likely referring to the West.
As of writing, another UN HRC election will happen on October 10. Before this happens, Russia is trying to encourage other countries to support it to rejoin the human rights body once again.
Will the UN Allow Russia to Rejoin HRC?
Anti-war demonstrators and Ukrainians living in the U.S. protest against Russia's military operation in Ukraine in Lafayette Park on February 24, 2022 in Washington, DC. Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24th.
It is unclear if the UN leaders will allow Russia to rejoin the Human Rights Council as of press time. But there's a chance this couldn't happen, especially since a UN-mandated investigative body revealed that Russian troops tortured Ukrainians so brutally that some of them died.
Reuters reported that other Russian soldiers even forced Ukrainian families to listen to them as they raped other women.
"In some cases, torture was inflicted with such brutality that it caused the death of the victim," said Chair of the Commission of Inquiry in Ukraine, Erik Mose.
"Russian soldiers raped and committed sexual violence against women of ages ranging from 19 to 83 years," he added.
Mose further stated that the commission is attempting to contact Russia regarding the brutal tortures their soldiers did in Ukraine. But the Kremlin hasn't answered yet.
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