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United Nations General Assembly Resolution ES-11/3

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United Nations General Assembly Resolution ES-11/3

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  • United Nations General Assembly Resolution ES-11/3 suspended Russia from the United Nations Human Rights Council on the 7th of April 2022. The footage that began the process had become public just six days earlier. It showed bodies in the streets of Bucha, a town northwest of Kyiv. Those images linked the killings to the Russian Armed Forces. What drove so many nations to vote for Russia's removal, and what did the final tally reveal about the shape of global opinion?

  • Libya became the only country ever removed from the United Nations Human Rights Council before April 2022. The Gaddafi regime's actions against anti-government protesters in 2011 had cost Libya its seat. Russia, in contrast, was still an active council member when the process began. Removing a sitting member mid-term was something the council had never done. Draft resolution A/ES-11/L.4 was introduced on the 6th of April 2022, one day before the General Assembly would vote.

  • Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations, publicly called for Russia's removal from the council on the 4th of April 2022. She cited the Bucha massacre as her reason. Before the vote, Russian diplomats privately circulated a letter to other member states. The letter was direct: voting in favour or abstaining would harm bilateral relations with Russia. Whether that warning shifted any votes was a question the Assembly would settle three days later.

  • On the 7th of April 2022, the General Assembly voted on Resolution ES-11/3. The resolution required a two-thirds majority, and it cleared that bar: 93 countries voted in favour, 24 voted against, and 58 abstained. Another 18 member states did not vote. Among those voting against were Belarus, Bolivia, China, Cuba, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, and Syria. Earlier that same day, the Russian delegation had announced it was resigning from the Human Rights Council. Moscow chose to leave before the vote could formally suspend it. Russia's elected term had been set to run until 2023.

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United Nations General Assembly Resolution ES-11/4

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Common questions

What was United Nations General Assembly Resolution ES-11/3?

Resolution ES-11/3 was adopted on the 7th of April 2022 by the eleventh emergency special session of the UN General Assembly. It suspended Russia's membership in the United Nations Human Rights Council, citing gross and systematic violations and abuses of human rights in Ukraine.

Why did Resolution ES-11/3 suspend Russia from the UN Human Rights Council?

The resolution cited grave concern over Russia's human rights violations and humanitarian abuses in Ukraine. The Bucha massacre, footage of which became public on the 1st of April 2022, directly prompted the United States to call for Russia's removal.

How many countries voted in favour of Resolution ES-11/3?

93 countries voted in favour, satisfying the required two-thirds majority. 24 countries voted against and 58 abstained, with another 18 member states absent from the vote.

Which countries voted against Resolution ES-11/3?

24 countries voted against the resolution, including Belarus, China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, and Syria. The full list also included Algeria, Bolivia, Burundi, the Central African Republic, the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Mali, Nicaragua, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe.

Which country had previously been removed from the UN Human Rights Council before Resolution ES-11/3?

Libya was the only country removed from the Human Rights Council before Russia. Libya lost its seat in 2011 because of the Gaddafi regime's actions against anti-government protesters.

Did Russia resign from the Human Rights Council before Resolution ES-11/3 was voted on?

Yes. The Russian delegation announced its resignation from the Human Rights Council on the 7th of April 2022, the same day as the vote, in anticipation of the outcome. Russia's elected term had been valid through 2023.

All sources

17 references cited across the entry

  1. 1NewsU.N. suspends Russia from human rights body, Moscow then quitsMichelle Nichols — 2022-04-07
  2. 2NewsDebunking Russia's Bucha massacre conspiracy theoriesTom Ough — 2022-04-04
  3. 3NewsPossible Evidence of Russian Atrocities: German Intelligence Intercepts Radio Traffic Discussing the Murder of Civilians in BuchaMelanie Amann et al. — 2022-04-07
  4. 4Ukraine: Apparent War Crimes in Russia-Controlled Areas2022-04-03
  5. 5Russia's Bucha "Facts" Versus the Evidence2022-04-04
  6. 6US to seek Russia's suspension from Human Rights CouncilStephen McGRATH — 5 April 2022
  7. 7UN votes to suspend Russia from its Human Rights Council despite opposition7 April 2022
  8. 8UN to Vote on Expelling Russia from Human Rights Council6 April 2022
  9. 9JournalSuspension of the rights of membership of the Russian Federation in the Human Rights Council : draft resolutionAntigua and Barbuda — 6 April 2022
  10. 10Russia suspended from human rights council after UN general assembly vote2022-04-07
  11. 11UN suspends Libya from Human Rights Council2011-03-01
  12. 12Russia threatens states with consequences over UN vote on Human Rights Council2022-04-07
  13. 13NewsU.N. General Assembly suspends Russia from Human Rights CouncilEdith M. Lederer et al. — PBS — April 7, 2022
  14. 14NewsUN assembly suspends Russia from top human rights bodyLederer, Edith M. — April 7, 2022
  15. 15NewsCambodia abstains from Russian UN human rights voteRy Sochan
  16. 16NewsAfghanistan, Myanmar to vote against Russia at UN1 March 2022
  17. 17Letter dated 27 February 2022 from the Secretary-General addressed to the President of the General AssemblyAntónio Guterres — 27 February 2022

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