UN Drops Russia From Human Rights Council, India Abstains

India and 57 other countries on Thursday abstained in the United Nations General Assembly on a vote with regard to the suspension of Russia from the Human Rights Council.

The resolution was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly with 93 members voting in its favour and 24 countries against it.

The US-initiated resolution expressed “grave concern at the ongoing human rights and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, particularly at the reports of violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law by the Russian Federation, including gross and systematic violations and abuses of human rights”.

In his statement on the UNGA resolution, TS Tirumurti, India’s Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations, said that since the inception of the Ukrainian conflict, India has stood for peace, dialogue, and diplomacy.

“We believe that no solution can be arrived at by shedding blood and at the cost of innocent lives. If India has chosen any side, it is the side of peace and it is for an immediate end to violence,” he said.

“We continue to remain deeply concerned at the worsening situation and reiterate our call for end to all hostilities. When innocent human lives are at stake, diplomacy must prevail as the only viable option,” he added.

Tirumurti noted that the impact of the crisis has also been felt beyond the region with increasing food and energy costs, especially for many developing countries.

“It is in our collective interest to work constructively, both inside the United Nations and outside, towards seeking an early resolution to the conflict.”

He said recent reports of civilian killings in Bucha are deeply disturbing.

“We have unequivocally condemned these killings and support the call for an independent investigation,” Tirumurti said.

He said India has been at the forefront of protecting human rights, right from the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

“We firmly believe that all decisions should be taken fully respecting due process, as all our democratic polity and structures enjoin us to do. This applies to international organisations as well, particularly the United Nations,” Tirumurti added. (ANI)