Russia-Ukraine War: India abstains as Russia suspended from UNHRC

New Delhi, April 7

India was among the 58 countries that abstained from a resolution at the UN General Assembly on Thursday approving Russia suspension from the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

The resolution received 93 votes in favour, 24 against, 58 abstentions and 18 countries did not vote. In South Asia, Afghanistan did not cast a vote but all the other seven countries abstained on the resolution.

The latest UNGA vote indicates a rise in support for Russia. At an earlier vote, the General Assembly had earlier voted 140-5 with 38 abstentions on March 24 on a resolution blaming Russia for the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. In a vote on March 2, as many as 140 countries had again backed a US-led resolution.

The latest US-piloted resolution had proposed the suspension of Russia over allegations that Russian soldiers killed civilians while retreating from towns near the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.

The only time a Member State was suspended from the UNHRC was Libya in 2011. The UNGA had then expressed “deep concern about the human rights situation in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya” following Muammar Al-Gaddafi’s brutal crackdown on anti-Government protesters.

New Delhi has already condemned the “deeply disturbing” reports of civilian killings in the Ukrainian city of Bucha but has not blamed any side. India has also called for an independent investigation and said when innocent human lives are at stake, diplomacy must prevail as the only viable option.

Since January this year, India has abstained on eight occasions on procedural votes and draft resolutions in the UNSC, the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council against Russia.

The charge against Russia was led by US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield who said Washington believes that the members of the Russian forces committed war crimes in Ukraine and described Russia’s participation in the UNHRC as a farce.

“The situation in Ukraine has not shown any significant improvement since the Council last discussed the issue. The security situation has only deteriorated, as well as its humanitarian consequences,” India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti had said.

The General Assembly had resumed its Emergency Special Session on Thursday after a request from a dozen countries.