UN suspends Russia from Human Rights Council, India abstains from vote
New York, April 7: The United Nations General Assembly on Thursday voted in favour of the suspension of Russia from the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC).
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A vote on whether or not to suspend Russia from the Human Rights Council took place after the US envoy to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield made a case for seeking the suspension of Russia from the Human Rights Council in front of the UN Security Council on Tuesday. The UNGA voted in favour by two-thirds to remove Russia from the Human Rights Council.
With 93 countries voting in favour, 24 against and 58 abstaining on the resolution, UNGA suspended Russia from the Human Rights Council.
Notably, condemning the killings in Ukraine's Bucha and supporting the call for an independent investigation, India abstained from voting on the resolution.
Hundreds of civilian residents were found dead on the streets in Bucha, besides their homes, and in mass graves. Ukraine accused Russia of the Bucha massacre. However, Russia has denied the allegations and said that it was Ukrainian propaganda.
Russian forces launched military operations in Ukraine on February 24, three days after Moscow recognized Ukraine's breakaway regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities.
Several countries including the UK, the US, Canada, and the European Union have condemned Russia's military operations in Ukraine and imposed sanctions on Moscow. These countries have also promised to help Ukraine with military aid to fight Russia.
India and 57 other countries on Thursday abstained in the United Nations General Assembly on a vote with regard to the suspension of Russia from the Human Rights Council.
The resolution was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly with 93 members voting in its favour and 24 countries against it. The US-initiated resolution expressed "grave concern at the ongoing human rights and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, particularly at the reports of violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law by the Russian Federation, including gross and systematic violations and abuses of human rights".
In his statement on the UNGA resolution, TS Tirumurti, India's Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations, said that since the inception of the Ukrainian conflict, India has stood for peace, dialogue, and diplomacy.
"We believe that no solution can be arrived at by shedding blood and at the cost of innocent lives. If India has chosen any side, it is the side of peace and it is for an immediate end to violence," he said.
"We continue to remain deeply concerned at the worsening situation and reiterate our call for end to all hostilities. When innocent human lives are at stake, diplomacy must prevail as the only viable option," he added.
Tirumurti noted that the impact of the crisis has also been felt beyond the region with increasing food and energy costs, especially for many developing countries.
"It is in our collective interest to work constructively, both inside the United Nations and outside, towards seeking an early resolution to the conflict."
He said recent reports of civilian killings in Bucha are deeply disturbing.
"We have unequivocally condemned these killings and support the call for an independent investigation," Tirumurti said.
He said India has been at the forefront of protecting human rights, right from the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
"We firmly believe that all decisions should be taken fully respecting due process, as all our democratic polity and structures enjoin us to do. This applies to international organisations as well, particularly the United Nations," Tirumurti added.
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-PTC News
