New York: As Russia refuses to call off its invasion of Ukraine, the US and West look to tighten the noose on Vladimir Putin’s nation.
The UN General Assembly on Thursday will vote on a move by the US to suspend Russia from the UN Human Rights Council for its continued aggression against Ukraine.
The UN General Assembly president’s office said that the Emergency Special Session of the 193-member body will resume at 10 am (7.30 pm IST) on Thursday, when action is expected on the draft resolution to suspend Russia.
UN’s Human Rights Council has 47 member states, elected by secret ballot by majority of the General Assembly.
How can Russia be suspended?
Two-thirds of the General Assembly members present will have to vote against Russia to suspend its rights of membership in the Council if it commits “gross and systematic violations of human rights.”
“A hundred and forty UN Member States have already voted to condemn Russia over its unprovoked war and the humanitarian crisis it has unleashed upon the people of Ukraine. My message to those 140 countries who have courageously stood together is simple: the images out of Bucha and devastation across Ukraine require us now to match our words with action,” US Ambassador at UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield had said recently.
“We cannot let a Member State that is subverting every principle we hold dear to continue to sit on the UN Human Rights Council,” she said.
India abstained from voting to condemn Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, but has condemned the “deeply disturbing” reports of civilian killings in Bucha. New Delhi has also supported the call for an independent investigation and repeatedly advocated diplomacy as the only option to resolve the crisis.
Also Read: Ukraine Invasion: Now, US Imposes Sanctions On Putin’s Daughters & Russian Banks
