"In case that Russia is re-elected to the Human Rights Council, the "trust in the organization will be undermined," stated Robert Wood, a representative from the Special Political Affairs Office of the U.S. Permanent Mission to the United Nations.
He emphasized that the Human Rights Council is a crucial UN body with a mission to promote respect for human beings and their protection worldwide.
He added that Russia's re-election to this body, "while it openly continues to commit war and other mass crimes, would be a grotesque stain that undermines trust in the Council and in the United Nations."
"Despite its (Russia's) attempts to deny and shift blame, I will be blunt: it is Russia's actions that render it unfit for membership on the Human Rights Council. What more evidence does the international community need?" Wood stated.
After the onset of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, both the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and the UN as a whole have faced increasingly harsh criticism. The behavior of Russia as a permanent member of the Security Council has particularly raised concerns. Moscow has repeatedly exercised its veto power, blocking proposals from the international community that are disadvantageous to its interests. In December 2022, Ukraine called for Russia to be stripped of its permanent member status in the Security Council and to be removed from the UN altogether. However, according to the current UN charter, this cannot be done without Russia's consent.
