The United States announced on Monday that it will seek the suspension of Russia from the UN Human Rights Council. in light of “mounting evidence” that his forces are committing “war crimes” in Ukraine.
(Read: UN asks to investigate possible Russian war crimes in Ukraine)
US Ambassador to the United NationsLinda Thomas-Greenfield, assured through Twitter that a country that is “subverting all principles” cannot be allowed to of the organization can continue to participate in the Human Rights Council.
(You are interested in: International condemnation for the massacre of civilians in Ukraine)
“In close coordination with Ukraine and other member states and partners in the UN, the United States will seek the suspension of Russia,” said the diplomat, who is in Romania as part of a tour to address the situation of Ukrainian refugees.
In order to suspend the participation of a country in the Human Rights Council, the favorable vote of two thirds of the countries that pronounce themselves is necessary. (for or against) in the UN General Assembly, of the total of 193 members who sit in the United Nations General Assembly.
Since the war in Ukraine began, that body has already approved two resolutions critical of Russia, which received at least 140 votes in favor. “My message to those 140 countries: The images of Bucha and the devastation throughout Ukraine require that we now match our words with actions,” the US ambassador wrote on Twitter.
In close coordination with Ukraine and other Member States and partners at the UN, the United States is going to seek Russia’s suspension from the UN Human Rights Council.
—Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield (@USAmbUN) April 4, 2022
Ukrainian authorities have accused Russia of committing a massive massacre of civilians in the town of Bucha, near kyiv, something Moscow has categorically denied.
Russia is currently one of the 47 members of the UN Human Rights Council, who are elected for three-year terms by the General Assembly.
The United States has also been a member since last January, returning to this Geneva-based body at the hands of the Joe Biden Administration, after the Donald Trump government withdrew, a decision that was justified by the history of violations of human rights of other member countries and by the alleged bias of the Council against Israel.
The suspension of a country for committing serious human rights violations has a precedent since the Human Rights Council was created in 2006: Libya was expelled in 2011 for the repression of popular protests carried out by the Muammar Gaddafi regime .
Russia accuses London of wanting to silence it
Russia on Monday accused the United Kingdom, which holds the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council, of trying to silence it. by rejecting his request to hold a specific meeting on the alleged massacre of civilians in the Ukrainian town of Bucha, which Moscow considers false.
The Russian delegation announced on Sunday that it had requested a meeting of the Security Council “in light of the atrocious provocations of the Ukrainian radicals in Bucha”, but that appointment has not yet been included in the official agenda in a month in which the Council it is chaired by the United Kingdom.
Russia’s request was added to one from Ukraine to analyze what happened in Bucha in another meeting scheduled for Tuesday, when the highest decision-making body of the UN was already scheduled to meet on the war.
In a message through social networks, the British ambassador, Barbara Woodward, defended that her country is not going to allow Russia to “abuse” its position in the Security Council (in which it has a permanent seat) to promote “its lies and their propaganda”.
They clearly want to prevent us from raising the issue separately, which would cause reputational damage to Western countries that have already blamed Russia for killing civilians in Bucha
Woodward confirmed that the alleged Bucha massacre and the other “mounting evidence of war crimes” will be discussed in Tuesday’s session. On the other hand, Russia’s deputy ambassador, Dmitry Polyanskiy, accused London of using “baseless procedural pretexts” to “dilute” the debate requested by Moscow in another larger meeting.
“This is not going to work and the world must know the truth,” he said through social networks. Polyanskiy said that his country will insist on an independent meeting, in which he wants to denounce what he considers a “provocation” by the Ukrainian side to try to hold Russia responsible.
“We are overwhelmed by the scope and brutality of Bucha’s staging,” said the diplomat, who accused “Ukrainian neo-Nazis” of paying tribute to the propaganda of Joseph Goebbels. Polyanskiy denounced “incredible discrepancies and errors” in the information released by Bucha and stressed that they have been “widely discredited on the internet.”
We especially want to note that all Russian units completely left Bucha on March 30, the day after the round of face-to-face talks between Russia and Ukraine in Turkey.
The Ukrainian authorities have reported the discovery of more than 400 bodies in the streets of Bucha, which according to the Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dmitro Kuleba, “is the worst massacre in Europe since World War II.”
The Russian Ministry of Defense, meanwhile, assured this Sunday that the images published by the Ukrainian government did not correspond to reality.
Russia maintains that it was on March 31 that the mayor of Bucha confirmed in a video message that there were no longer Russian soldiers in the city, “but he never mentioned that local residents were shot in the streets with their hands tied.”
Russia restricts visas to the EU and other European countries
The Russian President, Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Monday that restricts the granting of visas to the countries of the European Union (EU)as well as Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Liechtenstein, for their “unfriendly actions” against Russia.
The retaliatory measures taken by Moscow will affect official delegations and journalists, the Kremlin said in a statement. The presidential decree orders the partial suspension of the visa simplification agreement signed with the EU on May 25, 2006.
For this reason, the issuance of multiple visas valid for one year for official delegations and journalists, and multiple visas valid for five years for members of national and regional governments, Parliaments and Courts, is restricted.
From now on, diplomats from the aforementioned countries will no longer be able to enter Russian territory without a visa. In addition, the need to pay for the issuance of visas for official delegations, members of Governments and Parliaments is reintroduced.
Putin also orders the Foreign Ministry to impose “personal restrictions” on foreigners who have perpetrated “unfriendly actions” against this country, its citizens and legal entities.
Last week the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov announced that Moscow is preparing a document to impose restrictions of visas to citizens of “unfriendly countries”, in retaliation for similar measures taken against them.
“I believe that this step will expand the tools to influence various categories of foreign citizens. First of all, against those who are involved in crimes against Russian citizens abroad.
Second, those who unjustly commit legal persecution against our people. And finally, those who make unreasonable decisions that violate the legitimate rights and interests of citizens and organizations of the Russian Federation,” he explained.
The EU approved the first of several sanctions packages against Moscow on February 23 after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized the independence of the Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics, known as Donbas.
In addition, due to the “atrocities” committed by Russian soldiers in several occupied Ukrainian cities, Brussels announced today that it is preparing new sanctions against the Kremlin.
The Russian government adopted on the 8th a list of unfriendly countries and territories, which includes the US and Canada, all member countries of the European Union (EU), the United Kingdom, Ukraine, Montenegro, Switzerland, Albania, Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, North Macedonia, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Micronesia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Taiwan.
INTERNATIONAL WRITING
*With information from EFE and AFP
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