President Biden applauded the United Nations on Thursday for voting to suspend Russia from its Human Rights Council, saying Moscow “has no place” on the council.
“The United States worked closely with our Allies and partners around the world to drive this vote because Russia is committing gross and systemic violations of human rights. Russian forces are committing war crimes,” Biden said in a statement.
“Russia has no place on the Human Rights Council. After today’s historic vote, Russia will not be able to participate in the Council’s work or spread its disinformation there as the Council’s Commission of Inquiry investigates Russia’s violations and abuses of human rights in Ukraine.”
Earlier on Thursday, the U.N. General Assembly voted to suspend Russia’s participation in the human rights body in a 93-24 vote in response to the Bucha, Ukraine killings. Fifty-eight countries abstained.
The move to suspend Russia from the council was praised by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other officials.
“Suspending RF’s participation in the @UN_HRC is an important step. This is another punishment for RF’s aggression against [Ukraine]. Grateful for the partners’ solidarity. We must continue coordinated pressure on RF at all international forums. Let’s force RF to seek peace together!” Zelensky wrote on Twitter.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement that he believed “a wrong has been righted.”
“We have seen growing evidence of Russia’s brutal disregard for international law and human rights in Ukraine, most notably in the death and devastation it has caused in communities such as Bucha, Irpin, and Mariupol,” he said.
“The atrocities the world has witnessed appear to be further evidence of war crimes, which serves as another indication that Russia has no place in a body whose primary purpose is to promote respect for human rights.”
Late last month, a bipartisan group of senators wrote to the Biden administration urging the U.S. to introduce a resolution to the U.N. General Assembly to kick Russia out of the organization’s human rights body.
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